LYNN — The City Council on Tuesday approved a resolution authored by Councilor-at-Large Brian LaPierre that condemns white supremacy, hate speech, and bigotry.
LaPierre, in introducing the resolution, pointed to recent incidents of white nationalist violence, and how they are reminiscent of dark chapters in American history.
“We have seen an ongoing surge of white nationalist activity and hostility here, in our home, conjuring painful memories of our nation’s past and causing harm to current residents. Today, members of white supremacy groups are gathering at our state’s and nation’s capitals bearing symbols of hate and intimidation including nooses, signs, and clothing with valorizations of Nazi war crimes,” LaPierre read. “These individuals have carried and wielded weapons including automatic rifles, knives, bats, and pepper spray which they have used against law enforcement officers.”
The resolution referenced acts of white supremacy from throughout history, including an allusion to the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
“Video evidence shows members of these groups savagely beating a Capitol police officer with poles on which they had mounted the American flag. Members of these groups have engaged in acts of sedition by violently entering these buildings where elected legislators were conducting the American people’s business. They did so in order to interfere with the legitimate functioning of our government,” LaPierre said.
LaPierre’s three-section resolution outlined a condemnation of bigotry in Section One and a stance in solidarity with those who have suffered at the hands of racial, sexual, religious, or cultural bigotry in Section Two. The third section states that the resolution is effective immediately upon approval.
“The City Council is committed to making Lynn a welcoming, inclusive, and safe community for everyone. We condemn hate, xenophobia, racism, white supremacy, antisemitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, sexism, and other forms of bigotry,” LaPierre said. “The City Council is committed to standing in solidarity with the people of Lynn in opposing white supremacy and creating a community where all people can safely, freely, and fully engage in our democracy. We will not tolerate hate in any form and will pursue policies to ensure civil and human rights to all individuals.”
The council’s unanimous approval of the resolution was met with a round of applause, followed with a few words of support from Council President Jay Walsh, which referenced an incident where three men held an anti-Semitic poster over Route 1 in Saugus last weekend.
“This weekend I saw some pictures of some signs over on Route 1. I just can’t believe that that’s still going on,” Walsh said. “I thought of my grandfather who fought in World War II. I don’t know what happened that allowed us to go this way. I don’t understand it, it’s ridiculous, and if we feel like we’re gonna fight it all over again, then we will, we will fight it.”
In an interview, LaPierre said that although the resolution is not legally binding, he wrote it so that the city could take a stance against bigotry that might be used to inform and shape policy decisions in the future.
“It’s non-binding in a sense, but what we want to do is reaffirm our position that Lynn is not a place for hate,” LaPierre said. “We take things in incremental steps in government, but putting out a statement like this, a strong statement, also condemns hate from people that might see it differently and want to act upon that aid […] we want to make sure that everyone’s rowing in the same direction, and making sure that our practices mirror what our policy should be, and they can maybe promote other communities to take similar stances. We’re on the record now. And going forward, now we can really shape an agenda that’s fair for all of our folks who live in the City of Lynn.”
Walsh said in an interview that the anti-Semitic banner on Route 1 troubled him deeply, and that he’s grateful that the City of Lynn had the chance to take a stance against that sort of rhetoric.
“It’s just disgusting. Personally, it kind of ruined my day, to be honest, after I saw a few pictures, and I heard that they were in Peabody too,” Walsh said. “We’re not going to allow that, people have got to speak up about that. Because I think over the years those things have been marginalized and it’s a problem that’s gaining growth somehow and it’s just ridiculous […] I don’t think back in the day anybody would even bring up any of that, and now right here it is you know publicly being displayed. It’s just total (bleep).”
Anthony Cammalleri can be reached at [email protected]
