Amherst police investigating ‘hateful and racist letters’ left on vehicles

Amherst police are investigating several “hateful and racist” letters found in residents’ cars last week that were signed by a shadowy organization, the city said.

“The community has felt the damage, and it will not be ignored,” the Town of Amherst said. Statement posted on Facebook.

On April 29, officials received reports that messages “were placed on multiple vehicles in Amherst containing hateful and racist sentiments,” city officials wrote.

The town said in the statement, which did not include the full contents of the letters, that the letters targeted “the black and African American community” and were signed by an organization it had never heard of before. The letters were addressed to “Amherst residents” and were signed by a group calling itself “Advancement of American Civilization,” officials wrote.

Police responded and spoke to about seven people who received the letters; No other recipients have been reported to police, city officials said.

“Town staff have been unable to locate any group associated with the organization’s name,” town officials said.

National organizations “known to track hate groups” were also unable to identify the group, the town said.

“No information has been collected to help determine the source of the letter,” the Town of Amherst said.

The incident is not considered a hate crime under federal or state law, but is being investigated by Amherst Police.

“We condemn the frankly racist and inaccurate statements contained in the letter regarding Black people or people of African descent. These statements are deeply disturbing and do not reflect the values ​​of our city, which are built on the principles of inclusion and respect,” city officials said.

The Amherst Police Department did not respond to a request for comment Sunday evening.