Town officials and clergy members in Westport will meet with the community Sunday afternoon in response to the "White Lives Matter" fliers left outside homes earlier this month.
Westport is one of four shoreline towns where fliers have been dropped. Residents of Fairfield, East Haven and Milford also noticed the racially charged leaflets, which first showed up amid unrest in Baltimore over the police-custody death of Freddie Gray.
Although it's not clear who is behind them, the fliers in all four towns look identical: "#White Lives Matter" is printed in large black font on a white sheet of paper. The fliers are enclosed in plastic bags and weighed down with rocks.
The phrase appears to be in response to the slogan "Black Lives Matter," which has gained support after the killings of black men by police officers in places like Ferguson, New York City and Baltimore.
Westport town leaders Thursday in conjunction with the Interfaith Clergy Association of Westport and Weston, the Federation for Jewish Philanthropy of Upper Fairfield County, Westport Human Services Commission, the Westport Board of Education, Westport Police Department and TEAM Westport.
"We are deeply troubled by this campaign. While some have raised questions about the intent of the slogan, it is clear from similar campaigns in neighboring towns that this message was motivated by racism, which we reject absolutely and without qualification," the statement says. "Further, we contend that dismantling racism requires us to attend to the impact of actions, regardless of intent. These flyers attempt to co-opt a movement that has been created by citizens of color across our nation to redress disparities in treatment, based on race. We are united in declaring that these flyers have no place in Westport, which aspires to be an inclusive community that values a diverse population."
The statement alleges that "there is much more work to do before our nation achieves genuine equality across race and ethnicity," and says the town plans to organize opportunities for "education, discussion and engagement" over the next several months.
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The first event – a community conversation – is slated for 4 p.m. May 17 at the Westport Library.
