WEST LAFAYETTE – The morning after hosting an event called the Resistance Fair, tied to the anniversary of President Donald Trump’s inauguration, parishioners at a West Lafayette church found banners on their property touting racial slurs and threatening violence.
One banner, painted on a bed sheet and tied to a fence at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 333 Meridian St., read: “Die F-----s, Orlando just like Los Vegas (sic).”
A second banner found at the church referenced singer-songwriter Jackson Browne, echoing fliers distributed in the church’s neighborhood last spring that also called out the singer-songwriter known for his progressive stances. That banner used a number of slurs for racial minorities and gays and lesbians: “N----- F—Sp—Lover.”
The first one included the date of Jan. 23, which is Tuesday. The church’s pastor, the Rev. Charlie Davis, said he considered that a threat, though he said he couldn’t tell the significance of the day, considering that the church has no services or events planned then.
Browne, though, has a concert planned Jan. 23 in Orlando, according to his website. The references would appear to reference the sniper attacks during the Route 91 Harvest music concert last fall in Las Vegas, where 58 people were killed and 851 others were injured.
West Lafayette Police Chief Jason Dombkowski said police were investigating. He said the Federal Bureau of Investigation had been notified, as well.
“This will not be tolerated in our community,” Dombkowski told the J&C.