An Stamford, Connecticut, couple was victimized by racist graffiti artist. The perpetrator left the “N” word in large letters on their metal garage door.
A Stamford, Connecticut, couple was victimized by racist graffiti artist back in January. The perpetrator left the “N” word in large letters on their metal garage door. Heather Lindsay, who is white, and her husband, Lexene Charles, who is black, have had it with the racial slurs. The couple has decided to make a statement, following their attorney’s advice, and is refusing to cover up the artistry. Stamford’s police department website asks that all graffiti be removed within 24-48 hours, as leaving it up gives the artist recognition, and had initially attempted to disguise the door with a tarp. Once this was removed, they offered to get rid of the wording for free. But, the interracial couple refused. They said they’re going to leave it up until the officers do their job and find out who did it.
59 year old Lindsay claims the couple’s home has been vandalized numerous times, and neighbors have shouted the “N” word at Charles on more than one occasion. They believe that the police have failed to properly investigate these matters, and are pretty sure this particular incident, though immediately reported, has yet to have a case number. “I’d like to find out who did it, because this has to stop,” Charles, 56, said.
Their decision to leave the graffiti up is a costly one. The department has imposed a $100 per day Notice of Blight Violation fine on the homeowners, which is now well over $3000, as the artistry appeared over the Martin Luther King holiday weekend. Darnell Crosland, from the Connecticut NAACP is disgusted. “We think the police should open up a live investigation, and that means they should interview people,” he said. “They should create a police report, and they should have a case number. I don’t even know if this situation has a case number yet, and I think that is an affront to all of us.”
According to authorities, the department promptly interviewed the couple and is taking the matter seriously. However, officers could not find an eye witnesses or anyone who heard the spray painting taking place, so it’s not an easy case to crack. “There were few security cameras in the neighborhood, and none captured the incident,” the Director of Public Safety said in a statement. The lack of surveillance makes pinning down the artist like finding a needle in a haystack. Lindsay, Charles, and the couple’s attorney don’t think this is any excuse for not being able to nail the individual responsible, especially considering the couple has been targeted before and incidents have been reported. There are many in the neighborhood who are spiteful toward the interracial couple. Lindsay believes that officers simply need to “do their job” and “not just cover it up and sweep it under the table as they have done in the past.” She said the couple isn’t going to stand for law enforcement’s lackadaisical approach to tracking down the artist and solving the hate crime. “That’s why we’re leaving it up,” she said. “Because I’ve had it.”
Sources:
Interracial Couple Fined for Not Removing Graffiti Slur
Stamford Couple Fined After Finding Racist Graffiti On Garage Door
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