A disturbing wave of racist text messages sent to Black Americans after Donald Trump’s presidential election victory has prompted investigations across the United States. The offensive messages, which reference “slave catchers” and “picking cotton,” have been sent to a broad range of people, including children, college students, and professionals. These messages have sparked outrage and fear, with recipients reporting threats of violence and racial intimidation.
One of the widely circulated messages read: “You have been selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation. Be ready at 1:00 pm SHARP with your belongings. Our Executive Slaves will come get you in a Brown Van, be prepared to be searched down once you’ve enter the plantation. You are in Plantation Group C. good day.” The messages have been received in various states, including New York, Alabama, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee, leaving many recipients terrified and upset.
The FBI has acknowledged the situation, confirming that it is investigating the texts in coordination with the Justice Department and other federal agencies. A statement from the FBI said: “The FBI is aware of the offensive and racist text messages sent to individuals around the country and is in contact with the Justice Department and other federal authorities on the matter.” The agency also urged the public to report any threats of physical violence to local law enforcement.
The origin of these messages remains unclear, but some reports suggest that the texts may have been sent using TextNow, an app that allows users to send anonymous messages from randomly generated phone numbers. The app’s parent company, TextNow, responded swiftly, disabling the accounts associated with the messages. “As soon as we became aware, our Trust & Safety team acted quickly, rapidly disabling the related accounts in less than an hour,” TextNow stated.
While the messages have sparked intense public outcry, Donald Trump’s campaign has denied any involvement, with spokesperson Karoline Leavitt saying, “Donald Trump’s presidential campaign has absolutely nothing to do with these text messages.”
The investigation continues as authorities work to track down the individuals responsible for sending these hateful and dangerous messages.
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