Montpelier, VT - The following statement can be attributed to James Lyall, Executive Director at the ACLU of Vermont:
“Recent events have again highlighted the persistence and prevalence of racism in Vermont. The same day that news broke of Vermont State Senator Samuel Douglass’ participation in a vile, racist group chat, we also learned Northfield's Police Chief has resigned, citing pervasive and ongoing racial harassment. Chief Pierre Gomez will be the latest in a long line of people of color who have left Vermont due to unchecked bigotry and intolerance.
“That is not all. At a time when ICE agents are terrorizing our communities with a systematic campaign of racial profiling and the federal government is eager to roll back a century of civil rights progress, the Scott administration nonetheless fired without explanation one of the state’s racial equity leaders, Etan Nasreddin-Longo. And, while Vermont’s criminal justice system still has some of the worst racial disparities in the country, the House and Senate judiciary committees have, for three years running, failed to advance a bill that would address racial profiling on Vermont’s roadways.
“The evidence is all around us that, despite Vermont leaders’ official statements, racism is alive and well and continues to perpetuate real harm in our communities. We appreciate our allies who have led the charge to fight these harms, but we need all our elected officials to take a stand and address the racism embedded in our systems and institutions. Now is not the time for platitudes—it is a time for leadership and action.”
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