Racial Hate Sign Reported In Oak Park Window
OAK PARK, Ill. (STMW) - An electric sign using a racial slur to call for the death of Muslims and black people appeared in the window of a business on North Avenue in west suburban Oak Park on Thursday night.
Oak Park Deputy Police Chief Anthony Ambrose said a village employee spotted the sign Thursday night in the front window of a business on the 6500 block of North Avenue, but did not inform police until mid-morning Friday.
Ambrose said police contacted the owner of the business, which was closed early Friday afternoon. The owner told them he had no idea how the sign got
in the window and gave police permission to enter the building and cover the sign.
On Thursday afternoon, Lee Ribeiro, owner of Vicrad TV, said he thought police were calling about a break-in to his electronics store.
Instead, the 18-inch electronic crawl sign at the top of his store front window had apparently been hacked and a racial slur left on it.
"I don't know. Maybe some people who are good at programming computers (did it)," Ribeiro said.
Ribeiro uses a remote device to program the sign for store promotions. The sign is not easily accessible from either inside or outside the store, which led Ribeiro to believe someone hacked into it.
But a nearby West North Avenue business owner, who also witnessed the slur Friday morning, expressed his outrage.
"Yeah, it's offensive and it shouldn't have been done. We've been here 15 years, and clients were upset about it. I don't know why it was done up like that," said the business owner, who made repeated requests anonymity.
"It's bad for everything, for me and you. Never seen anything like it," the Oak Park business owner said.
Oak Park officials were shocked that the incident would occur in a community that prides itself on racial diversity.
"Obviously this is disturbing. It's unfortunate that hateful and stupid people will do something like this, as much as we don't want it," said David Pope, Oak Park village president.
"This incident will be looked into as to whom may be responsible. The owner of the business is working with Oak Park police," Pope said.
Cedric Melton, whose village department is charged with monitoring race relations, said after police finished an investigation, he would get involved with the incident to discuss sensitivity issues.
"We want folks to know we don't take this lightly, and we'll get a dialogue going with the business owner, his staff and local residents, but we must let the police do their full diligence first," Melton said Friday afternoon.
"This is all very unacceptable, especially in Oak Park. I'm surprised my office didn't get a call from people in the village." he said.
Melton said that this racial slur was the first incident of its kind since he became community relations director in 2000.
"I've never heard of or have had knowledge of anything like this before."
Police, who have tentatively categorized the incident as a disorderly conduct, are seeking further information to determine if a hate crime has been committed.
"We have an open investigation," said Ambrose.
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