Anonymous letters criticizing ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement show up in Ellington
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ELLINGTON, CT (WFSB) — Anonymous letters criticizing the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement are showing up in Ellington mailboxes.
The letter calls activists ‘the mob’ and shares names and addresses.
One of the women on the list, whose address was shared, feels investigators aren’t taking it very seriously.
Keren Prescott is vocal in her calls for racial justice.
“I have been doing this work for many years in various forms,” Prescott said.
She says she wasn’t shocked when she learned her name and address were shared in an anonymous letter criticizing Black Lives Matter activists.
“I’m not surprised. I’m actually flattered. That means I’m doing something right,” she said.
The letter, dated Aug. 1, was circulated in the Ellington area.
It reads in part, “Dear leaders, after spending hours searching voter records and Facebook pages and posts identify BLM organizers and activists in area towns, use this information to protect yourself and your family from the mob.”
Prescott’s name and address are listed in the letter, along with five other women.
While she doesn’t live in Ellington, she has showed up at protests in town.
“When you are out here, especially as a black woman, deciding that you are going to have the audacity to stare racism, and white supremacy in the eyes and say my life matters, you trigger something,” Prescott said.
She reported the letter to Connecticut State Police, the State’s Attorney office, and the FBI.
She adds that she’s a mother and feels responsible for the safety of her family.
“I have elderly parents who need to be cared for and I have three children,” she said.
In a statement, Connecticut State Police said “Troop C has been made aware of these letters. They have received complaints and counter complaints of utilizing public information that can be found online. At this time, there is no c.g.s [ct general statute] that bars individuals from finding information online to be used in this context.”
In the meantime, Prescott said the letters won’t stop her calls for justice.
“I’m going to continue to fight for justice for black people. Because the truth is that all lives cannot matter until black lives matter,” she said.
Ellington First Selectman Lori Spielman also received one of the letters in the mail. She said she called it “odd.”
At this point it is unclear who is sending these letters, but something similar happened in Wethersfield last week.
The mayor in that town told residents who receive a letter to report it to police.
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