Lawmakers respond to racist zoom disruptions during Del. LEOBOR meeting
DOVER, Del. – Delaware lawmakers are speaking out against racist disruptions made by an attendee during a public Zoom meeting. The meeting was held to discuss the Law Enforcement Officer Bill of Rights Reform bill.
The public meeting was the 5th and final stakeholder meeting for SB149, the bill seeking to reform LEOBOR. The first disruption occurred at 4 p.m. Friday when someone sent messages containing racist slurs to State Senator Elizabeth “Tizzy” Lockman and other panelists. The attendee was immediately ejected from the virtual meeting, according to Senate Majority Caucus Communications Director Scott Goss.
According to Goss, minutes later, a person who had virtually raised their hand to provide public comment, used racial slurs. That person also was immediately ejected from the virtual meeting. Multiple people spoke providing public comment, before another person who joined the meeting used slurs and was also subsequently ejected.
“I am deeply dismayed, but not at all surprised, by this latest reminder that we live in a state and a nation where racist agitators will attack people of color working to make a change in their communities,” Sen. Elizabeth Lockman said in response to the disruptions after the meeting concluded.
The statements also drew condemnation from Delaware FOP President Jamie Leonard and Chief Patrick Ogden, chairman of the Delaware Police Chiefs Council.
“These types of disgusting, bigoted words are callous, mean-spirited, and offensive. We can assure you that the words spoken today do not reflect the beliefs or ideals of the Delaware law enforcement community. We stand together to condemn both the coward who made these comments and the mindset in which he represents. We maintain our commitment to increasing the trust between the citizens of Delaware, the communities in which we serve, and Delaware’s law enforcement. The comments today will not derail our discussions to achieve this goal,” they said in a joint statement.
