The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Communications Commission said Thursday that they were all “aware” of racist and alarmist text messages sent to recipients, many of whom are Black students, in the aftermath of the election.
“The FBI is aware of the offensive and racist text messages sent to individuals across the country and is in contact with the Department of Justice and other federal authorities regarding this matter,” the FBI said. the agency said in a statement Thursday. The agency recommends that the public report threats of violence to them.
The FCC reiterated the FBI’s claim that it is “aware” and “investigating.” [the messages] in addition to federal and state law enforcement,” ABC News reports this.
The lyrics told to the recipients in different ways that they were selected for slavery and had to pick cotton on a plantation. Shared one post in particular with ABC News affiliate 13News Now Said: “You have been selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation. Make sure you are ready with your belongings promptly at 12 noon. Our executive slaves will come and pick you up in a brown van. Be prepared to be searched as soon as you enter the plantation. You are in plantation group W.”
It is unclear who exactly sent the messages or how, but some messages claimed to be from supporters of newly elected President Donald Trump. USA Today reports this.
In any case, the messages have been reported in Nevada, Alabama, Georgia, TexasVirginia, New York, California, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, MichiganAnd Wisconsin.
Some recipients attended colleges such as Clemson University in South Carolina, Ohio State and the University of Alabama, while others were minors who had not yet reached college, according to USA Today.
Margaret Huangpresident and CEO of Southern Poverty Law Center, a nonprofit advocacy group, called the messages “a public display of hate and racism that makes a mockery of our civil rights history.”
“Hate speech has no place in the South or in our country,” Huang said wrote in a press release for SPLC. “Leaders at all levels must condemn anti-Black racism in any form, whenever we see it – and we must follow our words with actions that advance racial justice, and build an inclusive democracy where everyone feels safe and welcome in his community. ”
Outside of the FBI and FCC, some non-federal officials have publicly condemned the messages.
Representatives from the Virginia Attorney General’s Office and the Washington, D.C. Attorney General’s Office, respectively, told CNN they are “aware” of the messages and “condemn” them.
New York Attorney General Letitia James told recipients in New York to use the “Civil Rights & Discrimination”. complaint form when they receive the “despicable” messages.
Clemson University Police Department in South Carolina confirmed in a statement It launched an investigation on Thursday after students began receiving messages with “racially derogatory and biased language” on Wednesday.
“It has been determined that these figures are linked to online spoofing sites. CUPD is actively investigating the matter and working with state partners to identify the source of the messages,” the statement continued. “Based on available information, there is currently no evidence of a credible threat to members of the university community.”
The same goes for the Nevada Attorney General’s office announced it has launched an investigation into what it called “robotext messages.”