Racist signs target Hispanic residents in Hampton

The black-and-white paper flyers featured a graphic of the United States and read “Illegal immigrant hunting permit. No bag limit. Tagging not required. Trump 2024.”

The Hampton police department released a statement saying there was an open investigation. The Franklin County Attorney’s Office released a similar statement saying charges would be brought as soon as a suspect was identified.

Hampton Police Chief Mark Morrison told the Globe Gazette he felt Hampton was still a safe place but advised the community to remain vigilant for suspicious activity. He was unable provide any additional information.

“It still is an active investigation, and we don’t want to compromise the integrity of that investigation because this is important to us,” Morrison said. 

Adilene Andrade, intake specialist at La Luz, has lived in the Hampton area since she was 4. She said that she was shocked and hadn’t ever experienced racism this severe. “It was a rather scary thing to look at, to read,” Andrade said. “It’s been a rollercoaster of emotions, I would say, for all of us here at La Luz, and even the community, the Hispanics here.”

Father Kevin Earleywine has served the St. Patrick Catholic Church in Hampton for the past seven years and is also on the board for La Luz. Earleywine said many business owners did have legal status in the community, and La Luz worked hard to help newcomers to the community acquire their proper documentation if needed.

“The implication of the sign was that they are like deer, like animals that should be hunted. That’s just cruel … It’s cruel, cowardly and ignorant,” he said. 

La Luz staff member Janette Acolt said that both she and Andrade had been uncomfortable and nervous at work since finding the flyer.

“We locked the door, because like we said, we have never had anything like this, and we do run a children’s summer program. That’s one of our main concerns I would say, our safety and the children’s safety,” Acolt said.

La Luz is currently closed to the public, and the nonprofit canceled the children’s summer program for the remainder of the week following the discovery of the flyers. Acolt said they also had concerns about holding their annual back-to-school party.

Mary Villanueva, who works at her family-owned restaurant and Latin grocery store, La Frontera, said they had purchased an additional eight security cameras to be posted around the building and created an emergency plan for her employees in case of targeted violence. The sign was posted on the business’ back door. Villanueva also said business had been very slow since the discovery of the signs, and the downtown area was unusually quiet.

“I think everybody is scared … This shook a lot of people. It’s out of nowhere,” she said.

Villanueva said she was also worried about her children returning to school, and that she and her family wouldn’t be able to feel comfortable until the perpetrator had been apprehended. She hasn’t explained the situation to her children, because she said she didn’t want to frighten them.

“With these mass shootings in our schools, I’m not sure if we’re safe. I’m concerned for the safety of my child,” she said. 

Republicans in Hampton have distanced themselves from the racist signs. Franklin County GOP Chair Larry Sailer said local party members were very upset by the use of Donald Trump’s name and that racism did not align with the Republican platform.

“I’m really hoping whoever did this gets found, because it’s not coming from the Republicans in this county … It’s really suspicious to me that it’s a plant just trying to divide our community,” Sailer said. “I want to assure all these businesses that this does not come from us.”

Andrade spoke about Hispanics’ desire to be embraced in the Hampton area.

“We want to be part of the community. We want to be accepted. We want to contribute, we also pay taxes, and want (our) kids to thrive. We all come here because we want our children to have a better future,” Andrade said.

Earleywine said that he prized the diversity of Hampton’s community, despite the challenges that can come with language barriers and different cultural experiences. “There’s something here to be celebrated. There can be obstacles, yes, but there’s also something deep and beautiful and human here that binds us together, that unites us.”