Messages of love, support, and encouragement now fill the streets outside the home of 2 South Charlotte residents who were the victims of random hate speech.
This past Friday, an unknown person painted racist graffiti on the driveway of Ayotunde and Toks Ayodele, natives of Nigeria, who now run a physician practice in Rock Hill.
The message reads, “Trump! Get out N——!”, spray-painted in back, all-cap letters.
The Ayodeles say they have no plans to remove the graffiti, they want people to know that this type of hatred still exists.
Yesterday, in response, a flood of people came to the neighborhood to write messages of love and support all around the couple’s home.
In response to some hateful person’s graffiti on my neighbors driveway, my wife posted this. Please share and #CLTSpreadLove not Hate pic.twitter.com/i3ouJcrpMK
— J. Michael Barnes (@wufpackmike) July 8, 2017
This is how our community handles racism…..we fight back #CLTSpreadLove pic.twitter.com/plNzLKNbbe
— Kelly Woodfin (@KellyWoodfin) July 8, 2017
Neighbors say that over 30 people had written nearly 70 notes throughout the neighborhood by the end of the day on Saturday, with many families bringing their kids out to participate.