Christopher Coen
Melissa Sogard
nancylee1
Third case of threatening notes left at refugees’ homes in Concord
Posted by Christopher Coen on October 25, 2012
Another case of insulting notes have been left at the home of another refugee family in Concord. The notes said that the refugee family members are “inconsiderate assholes” who receive everything for free and that they needed help getting kicked out of their apartment. Similar threatening notes were left in August and last September. The refugees also report that groups of young people will sometimes throw stones at them when they turn their backs, and that people sometimes block the doors to the buildings or the landings of the stairways, and tell the immigrants they need to pay $5 or $10 to pass. An article in the Concord Monitor has the story:
Two notes insulting immigrants and refugees were left taped to the door of a family of Bhutanese refugees, the third incident of racist notes on refugee homes in Concord since September 2011…
The notes were left taped to their door in an apartment building on Eastern Avenue – one on Sunday and one on Monday. One was shorter and written in marker; the other filled an 8-by-11-inch white paper, and was written in pen.
They said, among other things, that the Gurung family members are “inconsiderate assholes” who receive everything for free.
Written as if by the Gurungs, one of the notes said, “help us get kicked out of our apartment”…
This is the third incident of racist notes left for recent refugee immigrants to Concord. In September 2011 and August this year, notes appeared written in black marker on several homes in the South End.
The same detective is working on this case, and his initial assessment is that it is not related, said Concord police Lt. Timothy O’Malley…
Other minority residents from the complex warned him groups of young white people will sometimes throw stones at them when their backs are turned, Lal Gurung said.
People also sometimes block the doors to the buildings or the landings of the stairways, and tell the immigrants they need to pay $5 or $10 to pass, he said.
The bullying can be especially prominent in the mornings and afternoons as refugee children go to and from their school bus stop, he said...
Tips on the case can be shared anonymously by calling 226-3100, by visiting the Crimeline website, or by texting TIP234 and sending a message to CRIMES. Read more here
Zoe Ann Olson said
These acts sound like possible hate crimes and violations of the federal Fair Housing Act based on National Origin. The families should report these acts to the police and FBI as well as to the landlord and the Department of Housing and Urban Development especially if the persons committing these threatening acts are tenants. Here is a resource list:
If you live in the following areas/states:
Call the toll-free telephone number
HUD Regional Office*
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
(800) 827-5005
Boston
New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands
(800) 496-4294
New York
Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia
(888)799-2085
Philadelphia
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee
(800) 440-8091
Atlanta
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin
(800) 765-9372
Chicago
Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
(888) 560-8913
Ft. Worth
Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska
(800) 743-5323
Kansas City
Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming
(800) 877-7353
Denver
American Samoa, Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada
(800) 347-3739
San Francisco
Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington
(800) 877-0246
Seattle
Your housing discrimination complaint will be reviewed by a fair housing specialist to determine if it alleges acts that might violate the Fair Housing Act. The specialist will contact you for any additional information needed to complete this review. If your complaint involves a possible violation of the Fair Housing Act, the specialist will assist you in filing an official housing discrimination complaint.
Sincerely,
Zoe Ann Olson
Executive Director
Intermountain Fair Housing Council
1-208-383-0695, x. 306
zolson@ifhcidaho.org
Christopher Coen said
Thanks Zoe Ann!