The Chestertown Police Department is investigating an incident that took place Friday evening on the Washington College campus where racial slurs were allegedly shouted at two women of color from a moving vehicle.
Five individuals have been identified in the incident and have been issued “no trespassing” orders by CPD — at the request of the college. Two of the suspects are believed to be over 18 and the other three are juveniles, CPD Chief John Dolgos said.
Initial reports from CPD have identified a white pickup truck and a dark colored SUV in the incident. The white pickup is the same vehicle identified in a similar incident on Nov. 11., CPD said.
WC Communications Director Wendy Clarke also believes it was the same pickup truck, based on video obtained from Washington College Public Safety in both incidents.
“We believe this is the same white pickup truck that students reported on campus on Nov. 11, yelling racist slurs at a student of color who was crossing Washington Avenue at the crosswalk across from Reid Hall.”
CPD Cpl. Bert Piasecki investigated Friday’s incident and was able to identify the owner of the pickup truck and confront him.
No arrests have been made, but CPD has referred their report to the Kent County State’s Attorney Office to determine if any criminal violations occurred.
There is no indication that the incidents on Nov. 11 and Nov. 22 were related to the college’s decision to cancel performances of The Foreigner back on Nov. 7. The play challenges prejudice and xenophobia and climaxes when the protagonists are triumphant in eradicating the KKK from a small community.
Hugh Silcox says
Perhaps … just perhaps … rather than suppressing “The Foreigner,” the College should mandate its performance for a town audience. Let’s get those jerks in the white pickup truck front-row seats.
Ron Jordan says
Hugh, who knew, that this play might have been a tool to raise the indignities of racism, both from the collective past of the college and the town? College campuses have been subjected to PC for too long. College is supposed to be the place where uncomfortable ideas and ideologies are exchanged. How can a young mind grow if they don’t know the other side of an ideology that they may or may not agree with? I attended Berkeley, I grew up in Berkeley at a time when more liberal sensibilities were not tolerated and it led to a national movement that changed the course of our nation. If the Free Speech movement hadn’t happened, try to think of where we would be today. Trump would be the norm and without anything to combat him or his enablers. Our students at Washington College and other institutions of higher education must not live in safe spaces, the world is not safe, it is chaotic and at times crazy. Each generation has learned to deal with the era in which we all grew up in when we were young, let these young folks know the historical significance of the past and they will deal with the present and into the future. As adults stop shielding our young folks, they will figure it out, it soon will be their nation to govern and their world to rule.