HARTFORD, Conn. — A small rally was held near the state capitol Thursday urging the community to denounce hate following the arrest of 36 year-old Scott Franklin, the man suspected of defacing the Black Lives Matter mural on Trinity Street.
The defacing of the BLM mural is just one of the recent hate incidents being investigated across the state including antisemitic letters being distributed in Tolland, and signs and stickers found in various city and towns across the state promoting a known white supremacy group, among others.
According to data collected by the U.S. Department of Justice Connecticut averages nearly 90 hate crimes a year. In the most recent data, for 2021, 70% of the hate crimes were motivated by race or ethnicity, followed by sexual orientation, religion, and Disability.
On Monday, Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz and other state officials addressed the recent increase in hate incidents across the state. James Rovella, the commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Emergency and Public Protection had a message for people participating in acts of hate.
“Keep looking over your shoulder because once you cross that line into criminality, you’ll bear the full brunt of our efforts,” said Rovella.
Leaders of Black Lives Matter 860 hopes the community focuses on the love and the efforts of local artists who are repainting the mural after recent road work.
“We ask the community not to focus on a single act of ignorance. We ask them to focus on all the man hours it took to paint children with balloons, smiling faces, and messages of positivity,” said Ivelisse Correa, Vice President of BLM860.
The BLM Mural is expected to be completed for the Hartford Juneteenth Celebration on June 18.
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