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    • Racist text messages are reported in several states
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    Racist text messages are reported in several states

    Online Niel Posted on

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    Racist text messages are being sent to black Americans in Ohio and around the nationtelling them that they are being selected to be enslaved and assigned to pick cotton on a plantation.

    The widespread messages are reported in several states and screenshots are going viral on social media. The messages vary in detail but follow the same basic script.

    The students appear to be some of the intended recipients.

    More: Fake racist text messages spam black Americans in the US. Here’s what you need to know about counterfeiting

    “Some students have received these hateful text messages,” Ohio State University spokesman Ben Johnson said. “We have reported the messages to the Office of Institutional Equity and are providing support services. We are aware that this is happening nationally.”

    Columbus State Community College spokesman Brent Wilder confirmed that students at the college received spam messages. College officials could not quantify how many students.

    “This is racism at its highest level,” said Columbus NAACP President Nana Watson. “I think it’s a hate crime as I see it.”

    Mary Banks said her 16-year-old daughter received a hateful text message at 8:12 p.m. Wednesday that included her full name. Several of her daughter’s friends in Columbus City schools received similar messages.

    OPINION: Trump’s racist rhetoric fueled hateful, slavery-filled spam

    Banks said she’s not surprised that racist hate will emerge. “I feel like white supremacy has gotten stronger since the election. This is my personal opinion.”

    FBI, Ohio Attorney General’s Office is aware of racist text messages

    In a tweet on its X account, the FBI said it is “aware of racist and offensive text messages being sent to individuals across the country and is in contact with the Department of Justice and other federal agencies regarding this matter.

    “As always, we encourage members of the public to report threats of physical violence to local law enforcement agencies.”

    More: The FBI is looking into mass racist text messages sent to black Americans

    In response to the FBI’s tweet, Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican who represents Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District, responded on his X account: “Y’all probably sending them. Pack your bags.”

    Ohio Republican Attorney General Dave Yost’s office is also aware of the text messages and has a team reviewing them, his spokesman said.

    The messages appear to be from phone numbers with Ohio area codes. A check of some of the numbers shows that they are landlines, which cannot send text messages. This could be a sign that the text messages are part of a FORGERY scam.

    Forgery does looks like a call or text message is coming from a known contact or local entity.

    The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate incidents nationwide, said in a statement that the text sent to young black men “is a public display of hatred and racism that mocks our civil rights history.”

    “Leaders at all levels must condemn anti-Black racism, in any form, whenever we see it — and we must follow our words with actions that advance racial justice and build an inclusive democracy where every person feels safe and welcome to their community.” said Margaret Huang, SPLC President and CEO.

    This is a developing story and will be updated.

    Reporter Sheridan Hendrix contributed to this report.

    Laura Bischoff is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other Ohio affiliate news organizations.

    Online Niel
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