Leaders in Manchester, including Mayor Joyce Craig, are calling for two of the city's aldermen to resign after reportedly making racist statements on Facebook.
A local Black Lives Matter organizer says Alderman-At-Large Joe Kelly Levasseur called him a derogatory slur in a private message.
And screenshots show Ward 8 Alderman Michael Porter saying protesters should be moved from the streets in Manchester with a “big old plow truck.”
Screenshots also show Levasseur raising concerns about potential riots during last weekend’s peaceful protests. He defended those statements in a comment to Manchester Ink Link, saying he didn’t believe the U.S. had a “race problem.”
As the screenshots spread on social media Friday afternoon, Craig and seven other Manchester aldermen issued a statement calling for Levasseur and Porter to apologize and resign.
They say the pair’s actions “are an embarrassment to the people of Manchester and an insult to everyone who is working to bring positive change to our city, state, and nation.”
“At a time when togetherness and understanding are more important than ever, it is sad to see elected officials promote violence and encourage division,” the statement says.
Governor Chris Sununu, at his press conference Friday afternoon, said he hadn't seen the details of the issue, but that racist language had no place "in anything we do."
