The Forum for Equality PAC is asking for help identifying multiple individuals who stole election signs placed by volunteers over the weekend. According to a Facebook post, group volunteers watched individuals – whom they presume to be supporters of Leslie Ellison – pulling the signs up moments after they had been placed.
“Given Ms. Ellison’s long public record of bigotry against our community, we shouldn’t be surprised that her supporters feel empowered to shut down our message and our right to free speech,” said Kenny Tucker, Forum for Equality PAC Chair.
Ellison, who is running to keep her spot on the Orleans Parish School Board, is a well-known opponent of LGBTQ rights, including the right to marry. As previously reported, she has testified in opposition to anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ students and supported a bill that would have allowed charter schools to ban LGBTQ students.
“To the Ellison campaign, members of the LGBTQ community are second-class citizens: our youth can’t be protected from bullying in school, our kids can have their administration rejected based on the makeup of our families, and we can’t be provided the dignity of having our livelihoods protected at work. Frankly, given Ms. Ellison’s long public record of bigotry against our community, we shouldn’t be surprised that her supporters feel empowered to shut down our message and our right to free speech,” Tucker said.
You can view the full statement below:
The Forum for Equality PAC is asking anyone with information on the theft of the signs to email kenny.tucker@forumforequality.org.
