Chicago police are urging residents to come forward with any information about a cross burning in a public park. The burning of a cross is a historic symbol of hate and intimidation against Black Americans. However, the intent behind the fire Tuesday afternoon in Grant Park was still unclear. Police released a community alert Wednesday that included an image of a person walking away from the area Tuesday. Video taken by a driver that circulated widely online showed the wooden cross engulfed in bright orange flames as it leaned against a tree in the park. Chicago firefighters put out the blaze.
The fatal stabbing of a British teenage who was handcuffed despite telling offices that he was wounded has sparked a debate about policing and race. The killing of teenager Henry Nowak in December gained renewed attention after the killer, Vickrum Digwa, was sentenced to life in prison on Monday. Police responded to a report that Nowak had racially assaulted Digwa and officers initially dismissed Nowak's claim that he had been stabbed. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Tuesday that he was sickened by video of the arrest and expressed concern over how racism accusations influenced police decisions. A police watchdog is investigating the officers' actions.
The Supreme Court has ruled for a Black death row inmate from Mississippi who claims there was racial bias in the makeup of the jury that convicted him. By a 5-4 vote Thursday, the justices sided with Terry Pitchford, who was sentenced to death for his role in the killing of a grocery store owner in northern Mississippi. There were 11 white jurors and one Black juror in a trial with similarities to that of another Black man on Mississippi’s death row, whose conviction the high court overturned seven years ago. If Pitchford's conviction is overturned, the state could seek to retry him. Pitchford's lawyer says he's “entitled to a fair trial.”
Stop AAPI Hate is an organization that rose to national prominence for its meticulous reports on anti-Asian hate incidents at the height of the pandemic. The organization has announced Thursday it is launching a nonprofit called Stop AAPI Hate Action. It's a political and advocacy arm dedicated to getting more Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders registered to vote and mobilize current voters. Over the past six years, the organization has elevated conversations about racism, discrimination and allyship. The voter initiative was sparked in part in response to actions from President Donald Trump’s administration.
By TERRY TANG, COREY WILLIAMS and KRISTIN M. HALL - Associated Press
Updated
A Tennessee judge has set a $1 million bond for a white livestreamer charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting and wounding a Black man. The case against Dalton Eatherly, who livestreams as “Chud the Builder,” has stoked debate over the extents of free speech and the rights of content creators who profit from hate-filled interactions. As more users of livestreaming social media platforms find being performative with racist language can draw big bucks, the line is blurring between freedom of expression and people's right to feel safe. Racial justice advocates worry that allowing people to profit from provoking strangers in livestreams will only heighten and normalize racist antics.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has released its annual list of the most endangered historic places in the United States. Carol Quillen, the nonprofit group's president and CEO, says the 11 sites commemorate this year's 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and highlight the ways Americans have fought against racial injustice and for equality. The list includes the Stonewall National Monument in New York City, the only national monument dedicated to LGBTQ+ history; the President's House Site in Philadelphia; and the Women's Rights National Historical Park in Seneca Falls, New York.
