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Black family in Texas say they were the victims of hate crime after their two cars were set on fire and their home was vandalized with the phrase ‘Trump 20’ last week, which they said was an answer to their “Black Lives Matter” sign.
Jayla Gipson, 36, told NBC News her 21-year-old son was using the toilet shortly after midnight last Wednesday when he smelled smoke, stepped outside and then made the discovery.
“It’s definitely a hate crime,” Gipson said. “’Trump 2020′ was sprayed on our garage, our ‘Black Lives Matter’ sign was spray painted and our cars were engulfed in flames.
Police in Little Elm, a suburb of Dallas, said officers and firefighters responded to Gipson’s home after a 911 call reporting a vehicle fire and vandalism in the home’s garage. No arrests or injuries have been reported, but an investigation is underway, police said.
Photos from the scene show missing car parts, black soot surrounding the vehicles, and completely burnt down front bumpers.
Gipson said she had never suffered any acts of hate since moving to Little Elm in 2017. She attributes Wednesday’s incident to the “Black Lives Matter” sign the family placed in their front yard the day before. of Thanksgiving.
“It’s horrible,” she said. “If this sign hadn’t been in my backyard, I don’t think this would have ever been an incident for us.”
Gipson added that she could have lost her 12-year-old daughter, asleep in her bedroom right next to the garage where the cars were on fire.
Investigators have not yet determined the motive for the incident, or determined whether it was a hate crime.
A GoFundMe was set up by its neighbors to cover the cost of the family’s losses.
While Gipson said she was grateful for the outpouring of support from her community and friends, she said no one deserved this treatment, regardless of political views.
“My life matters, and no matter how people feel or what their beliefs or opinions are, it’s something that I express to the universe,” she said. “Black lives matter.”
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