First Selectman Jim Marpe issued this statement last night, shortly after learning of the presence of racist flyers in Westport:
I am deeply concerned and disappointed that statements like this have found their way to Westport homes. This kind of racial ugliness has no place anywhere, and certainly not Westport.
I have always been proud to speak of Westport as an open and welcoming community, and I continue to believe that the vast majority of Westporters practice that belief through tolerance, inclusion and everyday civil behavior.
This past year has reminded us that our nation still needs to deal with some serious racial issues, and now we know that Westport is not immune. I have asked TEAM Westport to work with the Interfaith Clergy, the Board of Education and the appropriate town agencies, to lead our community’s response to these outrageous statements and, more importantly, the behaviors and beliefs that underpin them.
Flyers like these were tossed onto lawns in Westport yesterday.