The Howard County Police Department and Office of Human Rights have agreed to a community meeting with the county?s NAACP to address a spree of Ellicott City hate crimes.
“What had appeared to be an isolated occurrence several months ago has escalated into a series of ugly acts of vandalism that must be brought to an end,” said Jenkins Odoms, president of the Howard County branch of the NAACP.
The groups will meet at 7 p.m. June 26 at the United Methodist Church?s conference center, 7178 Columbia Gateway Drive, Columbia.
Odoms said 15 of this year?s 22 racially motivated crimes tracked by the NAACP occurred in Ellicott City.
“Columbia is more diverse,” he said. “Ellicott City, some ?good old boys? still live there. It?s a shame that people are not up to date and not intelligent enough to understand that God made all people and that we?re all God?s people. ? People still think as the Nazis thought, with their swastikas.”
Howard County police said they have discovered eight incidents of white supremacist graffiti chemically burned into the lawns of Ellicott City homes within the past week.
Harry Dunbar, a Democrat and the only black candidate for Howard County executive, said the Police Department needs to redeploy resources to catch the perpetrators.
“I would devise a plan to catch those individuals, and I would punish them to the fullest extent of the law,” he said.
County Council Member Christopher Merdon, R-District 1, a candidate for county executive, called on police to be vigilant in searching for the culprits.
“I condemn the action taken,” he said. “It?s a concerning event. We have to be diligent in following up on this incident and following up on leads.”
Hate bias incidents and hate crimes for 2006
Ellicott City incidents
» Weed killer used to burn racist slogans and swastikas on lawns (eight cases)
» Hate mail sent to black leaders (three cases)
» Cross burned onto lawn
» Chemicals poured around ornamental trees
» Racial messages posted on school doors
» Swastika painted on school field
Jessup incidents
» Paint balls thrown against houses (four cases)
Highland incidents
» Church vandalized (two cases)
Fulton incidents
» Racially threatening messages in school lavatory
A hate crime targets a member of a minority group and is motivated by a victim?s race, religion or sexual orientation; a hate bias incident is not specifically targeted.
Source: Howard County branch of the NAACP
