Human Relations Commission Takes Actions Against Hate

In the late hours of June 16, an individual or individuals targeted and vandalized a street mural at the corner of 13^th and College. The mural was created in honor of the Terre Haute Day and Juneteenth celebrations. The Terre Haute Human Relations Commission was extremely troubled to hear about the vandalism of a symbol of unity and freedom. Whether out of ignorance or hatred, we know that this destruction hurt and harmed many people in our community.

The Human Relations Commission has met in the weeks since the vandalism to discuss and plan how we could work to bring peace and justice to this situation. We must condemn this particular act of hate, and stand up against future acts of hatred, violence, and division. The commission will be taking the following actions:

1. The Human Relations Commission has worked with the mural creators to file a police report so that an investigation into the situation can begin. We believe that it is imperative to hold those responsible accountable. It is also important that our City’s public safety professionals allocate the appropriate time and resources to investigating acts of hatred in our community.
2. The Human Relations Commission will be calling on state legislators to strengthen Indiana’s Hate Crime Law. The commission is concerned that Indiana’s current Hate Crime Law lacks specific language regarding the protected classes. The commission is committed to working with state partners to ensure that all of Indiana is safe and free from hate and bias based on race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, or gender.
3. The Human Relations Commission will continue to promote and provide programming that celebrates, values, and embraces the diverse mosaic of individuals who call Terre Haute home. We believe that recognizing and celebrating our rich cultures and heritages promotes greater harmony in intergroup and interpersonal relations.

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About the Human Relations Commission

The Human Relations Commission is an entity of the City of Terre Haute whose mission is to promote better human relations in Terre Haute and help build a vibrant, thriving, and unified community by working to transform injustice into equity, inaccessibility into opportunity, and intolerance into acceptance and belonging.