DEEP RIVER, Conn. — Community members in Deep River gathered outside town hall Sunday to rally against messages left on a community board last Wednesday.
The wording on the sign was changed to read “Trump 2024” followed by two derogatory terms directed at people of color and then “are bad.”
The State Police hate crimes division is investigating.
Valley Regional High School juniors Elly Rothrock and Elizabeth Allen say the community doesn’t want nor is that.
“They were hateful and they don’t reflect the feelings of our town,” Rothrock said.
The 16-year-olds wanted to organize the rally to spread messages of love and that Deep River is an open community.
Allen says the sign came up in a class discussion where they got the idea.
“Our teacher kind of brought up the point that we all said we disapproved of it but no one was willing to do anything about it,” she said.
Allen says she was surprised when she first heard about the sign but then remembered these types of instances happen often.
Colin Bennett with JEDI, which stands for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, says white supremacy is alive and it’s up to everyone to stop it.
“People need to realize that we’re all in this together and there’s so much that unites us,” he said. “To see something like that, it’s disappointing. People feel it’s okay to do that.”
Rothrock says people are entitled to their own opinion but doesn’t believe public property should be used to spread messages of hate.
“I know that that’s not something I believe in and I don’t want that to be affiliated with our town,” she said. “We’re an open community and we really value everyone’s opinion and message.”
The juniors say they wanted to get the youth involved to start change and create an environment of acceptance.
Anyone with information on the changed sign is asked to call 860-526-6027.
Tony Black is a multi-media journalist at FOX61 News. He can be reached at tblack@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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