This morning, two nooses and a handful of signs were found at the State Capitol.
Chuck McIntosh, the Director of Communication for the Department of Finance Administration said there is an ongoing investigation at this time.
“As soon as Capitol police were alerted to the situation, they pulled the signs and nooses down. The investigation is ongoing but they’re using all resources to see what is going on,” said McIntosh. “They’re looking at all the resources and footage to see if they can identify a car or person. This happened this morning.”
McIntosh said two of the hand painted signs read “Hanging nooses to remind people that things haven’t changed” and “we want leaders that give honest apologies, that can be humble enough to admit when they’re wrong.”
U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith apologized for remarks made referencing a public hanging during last Tuesday night’s debate, but many have criticized the apology as not being genuine because it was read.
The content of the signs that DFA disclosed harkens back to a similar incident 5 days before the 2016 Presidential election where a church congregant burned and vandalized Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church near Greenville, MS, which ignited a national media frenzy speculating that white nationalists might have been involved.
The Department of Public Safety released photos of the signs.
And Lt. Governor Tate Reeves has released a statement regarding the investigation of the signs.
“I have asked Capitol Police and the Department of Public Safety to fully investigate this reprehensible act and will support the resources necessary to find those responsible,” said Lt. Gov. Reeves.
Y’all Politics will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.
Courtney Ingle
