Rochester police investigating racial slur on bridge
Updated: 2:30 p.m.
Rochester police say they are investigating a racial slur posted on a pedestrian bridge over the weekend.
Law enforcement was sent to the bridge, which crosses a busy road over East Circle Drive, after the slur was called in to dispatch around dawn Sunday morning. State Patrol was first to respond and removed the cups that spelled out the derogatory term before local police could arrive.
Pictures of the slur have been circulating online, prompting the school district to condemn the action.
While the bridge is not on school property, it is near Century High School.
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“We understand and share the hurt this has caused to people in our community, especially to our Black and brown students,” said a statement from Rochester Public Schools. “We want to reiterate that hate language, in any form, has no place within our RPS community.”
Meanwhile, the City of Rochester wrote in a statement that: “As a City organization, we strongly condemn this action. Racism, language that perpetuates hate and all prejudice contradicts the values the City holds.”
In a statement, the Rochester NAACP branch condemned the incident.
“This reprehensible act not only undermines the values of our community but also sends a disturbing message to our youth who should feel safe and respected,” it read. “It is deeply disheartening that such bigotry and ignorance persist in our midst, especially in an area where our impressionable high school students can witness it firsthand.”
The local NAACP said it will host a rally, on Saturday at 11 a.m. at the bridge, and upcoming town hall meetings.