On the 25th anniversary of the murders of James Byrd Jr. and Matthew Shepard, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division held a virtual forum on the launch of the United Against Hate (UAH) initiative and efforts to fight hate crimes.
“As I see in my daily threat briefings, there has been a significant increase in the volume and frequency of threats against Jewish, Muslim, and Arab communities across our country,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said. “I recognize the fear, frustration, and isolation that many of you have felt over the past few weeks, and that you continue to feel as you join us here today. I want to reiterate a core principle of this Justice Department: no person and no community in this country should have to live in fear of hate-fueled violence. You are not alone. And the Justice Department is committed to building on our partnerships with all of you to combat illegal acts of hate.”
The focus of the meeting was to continue uniting communities and strengthening partnerships with law enforcement. To that end, the DOJ showcased the UAH’s successful deployment in all 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices (USAO), leading to local forums with community groups over the last year. Those forums allowed for trust building between law enforcement and their communities, and opportunities for the reporting of hate crimes. Thousands of people participated nationwide, according to the DOJ.
The forum included a fireside chat with Houston Police Department officer Jamie Byrd-Grant, the daughter of James Byrd Jr., as well as recorded remarks from Dennis and Judy Shepard, the parents of Matthew Shepard.
“Make no mistake, hate-fueled violence is a stain on our nation’s history and has no place in our society today,” Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Kristen Clarke said. “Through United Against Hate, we are building community resilience, strengthening relationships between community and law enforcement, and empowering communities with the tools necessary to eliminate hate root and branch. This moment demands vigilance and use of every tool at our disposal, including the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, to ensure that our communities, schools, workplaces, houses of worship, stores, and streets are safe spaces, free from threats and bias-driven violence.”
The forum also included a panel discussion with U.S. attorneys related to their UAH programs, remarks on the DOJ’s efforts to fight the rise in hate crimes, dialogue with advocates and hate crime survivors, and commentary from civil rights organizations.
Shepard was a 21-year-old gay student of the University of Wyoming, who was brutally beaten, tortured and left to die on the side of a rural road in 1998 by two men. Byrd was a Black man likewise beaten and murdered in 1998 by three white supremacists in Texas, who dragged him behind their truck for miles and finally dumped his body in front of a Black church.