NAACP calls for charges for woman who called 5-year-old racist slur at Rochester park, then crowdsourced $700K
The Rochester branch of the NAACP is calling for charges to be filed after a racist incident at a park in Rochester, Minnesota, that's now getting national attention and drawing criticism from the community.
A viral video reignited conversations about racial equity Wednesday as dozens of people packed the Rochester Civic Theatre demanding accountability, justice and real change.
The Rochester NAACP – in collaboration with Barbershop Talk and Rochester Civic Theatre – hosted a community town hall. Speakers included faith leaders and elected officials.
The viral video captures Sharmake Omar confronting a woman about calling a child a racist slur at Roy Sutherland Playground. Omar said he took the video to protect himself and to show people the hate that took place at that park.
"To see a 5-year-old child called that word was very shocking," Omar said.
Boy's father says family has received death threats since the incident
The video was taken late last month, and in it the woman admits to calling the boy the racial slur. Since that encounter, Omar says he's received death threats and had to leave his home after his personal information was leaked.
"My life has been turned upside down," Omar said. "It makes me feel good the community is coming together, but the damage has been done."
Omar says he's frustrated that's happening to him while the woman in the video is profiting.
The woman, named Shiloh, accused the boy of stealing from her child's diaper bag, according to the description of an online fundraiser she created.
She says she started the fundraiser to protect her family. It has since raised more than $700,000.
Omar has since started a fundraiser to help his family relocate and help with the loss of wages because of the death threats he says he has received.
NAACP Rochester also created an online fundraiser, which it says was meant to support the boy and his family. That fundraiser, which is no longer active, raised $341,594.
"We are demanding accountability, demanding charges," said Wale Elegbede, president of NAACP Rochester.
Crystal Smith was one of the people who packed the theater Wednesday. She says she wants the city to charge the woman and make things right.
"At the end of the day, these kids are our future. If we don't show them the right direction, they gonna be in the same seat we sitting in right now," Smith said.
The Rochester Police Department has completed an investigation into the video, and findings have been submitted to the city's attorney's office for review.
