In Chatham County, North Carolina, on May, 2022, Latinx Siler City Mayoral candidate, Nick Gallardo, 23 and son Panamanian immigrant, received text messages from a 984 number explicitly threatening Nick Gallardo with lynching in the form of drawing a noose around Gallardo’s neck, with the message “That’s what you like huh”. Gallardo, who recently, along with Jared Picot (Candidate for District 5 Town of SIler City Commissioner), Sam Williams (Candidate for District 1 Town of Siler City Commissioner) and Dean Picot (Candidate for Town of Siler City Commissioner At-Large) gained support from respected, black activist Reverend Dr. Albert Reddick, who is running for Chatham County Commissioner District 4. The texts from May 8th include a picture of puppet with KKK attire and the lynchhing of a black doll, with messages stating “Now this is some unity I can get behind.” Unity is in reference to what the slate of candidates, Gallardo, Jared Picot, Sam Williams and Dean Picot, have been referred to as. “heard you got that old ape behind you” and in reference to a photo of Rev. Dr. Reddick on the porch with a mask on during Covid, “Trying to cover up that big monkey face.”
If successful, Nick Gallardo will be the first Hispanic mayor in North Carolina history and the youngest Hispanic mayor in United States history.
Thursday, May 12, 2022, a police report was filed in regards to the text messages Gallardo received on May 8, 2022. As of Monday, May 16, 2022, Siler City police department has not reached out to Gallardo about the text messages.
Media Contact:
Shquandra Moore
savesiler@gmail.com
www.savesiler.org
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