A White couple harassed and made racial slurs, and intentional hateful actions directed towards a Black couple in Conway, S.C. November 23 and 24, 2023. The couple racist actions contributed to their arrest by the Horry County Police Department and harassment charges. During the arrest, the couple continued to make racial slurs and threats to harm their Black neighbors and news reporters present. The Horry County Police Department’s body cams captured the racist statements and threats to harm others by the White couple. This abhorrent behavior has no place in a civilized society!
South Carolina is one of two states in the nation without a law criminalizing hate crime. A Hate Crime Bill approved by the House of Representative, failed to pass in the Senate resulting in the failed attempt to pass a “Hate Crime Law.” The NAACP South Carolina State Conference strongly urges the citizens of this State to join us as an organization to insist a “Hate Crime Law” is passage immediately!
No one should have to live in fear of their safety and threatened or terrorized by their neighbors, stating “they will be summoning the devil’s army” and posting this Black couple’s address on Facebook for (@for)other racist to spew Hate. Brenda C. Murphy, President of the South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP stated, “Black South Carolinians have endured the indignity of a racially divisive society for far too long and this is appalling that in 2023 we still have such hateful rhetoric and cross burnings.” She is calling upon the Governor and the South Carolina General Assembly to enact and implement a Hate Crime Bill for all South Carolinians.” Mrs. Murphy stated that “the NAACP South Carolina State Conference is willing to work with local law enforcement, the Governor, and Department of Justice to ensure the safety of this family and others.
Brenda C. Murphy
President, SC NAACP
