“Gobsmacked,” Woman Receives Anti-Gay Text; FBI investigates series of racist, anti-LGBTQIA+ messages

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The FBI is investigating a series of racist and abusive text messages and emails and is encouraging all recipients to report details to the agency.

The agency released a statement about the series of emails and text messages on Friday.

“The FBI is aware of the offensive and racist text messages being sent to African-American and black communities around the country and is in contact with the Department of Justice and other federal agencies on the matter. The reports are not identical and vary in their specific language, but many say the recipient has been selected to pick cotton on a plantation,” according to the statement. “SMS recipients have now expanded to high school students, as well as both Hispanic and The LGBTQIA+ communities. Some recipients reported being told they had been selected for deportation or to report to a re-education camp. Notices have also been reported received via email communications.”

The FBI had not received reports of violent acts stemming from the offensive messages and was evaluating all reported incidents, according to the statement. The department said it is working with the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and sharing information with law enforcement partners and community, academic and faith leaders.

Diana Brier said she received an anti-gay text message on Sunday.

“I am not surprised that my information is publicly available and that it is known that I am a member of the gay community,” she said.

The text message referred to an executive order and stated that the recipient had to check in at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas on Jan. 20, which is inauguration day.

“After check-in, you will be transported to a secret LGB re-education camp location for a period of no less than 8 weeks,” the text read. “Your new President, Donald J. Trump, looks forward to helping you become a mentally and emotionally stable member of society by eliminating lifestyles that have been detrimental to our American way of life through reeducation.”

“At first I was a little freaked out,” Brier told the 8 News Now Investigators. The text also made references to Jesus Christ, an “obligation to procreate, give birth to healthy white Christian children” and language against “transgender people”.

There is also a threat in the text that those who do not want to participate will be thrown into a labor camp for two years to life.

“Somebody put a lot of thought and effort into this message. It was very detailed. It was very specific and very directed at the LGBT community,” Brier said. “It was just something that, I think I was just completely shocked and honestly repulsed and disgusted that this kind of rhetoric, this hate speech is being spread so quickly, so quickly and so, so for no reason.”

The 8 News Now Investigators looked up the phone number and found no results for a user or owner. It has a 301 area code, which covers Washington, DC and parts of Maryland.

Brier said she shared her story to encourage others to come forward.

“This is something we really need to get our eyes on and really raise awareness and let my community know that it’s safe to let someone know that you’re getting this,” Brier told the 8 News Now Investigators. “If you’ve received a hateful targeted message, tell someone. We have to be in a see something, say something kind of era.”

In addition to encouraging recipients of the messages to report them, the FBI encouraged the public to be vigilant and report threats of violence or anything deemed suspicious.

The 8 News Now Investigators also reached out to the Nevada Attorney General’s office. Spokesman John Sadler said the office has not received any complaints about offensive messages targeting the LGBTQ community, but has received several complaints about similar messages containing racist language. Sadler said anyone who has received one of the notices is encouraged to file a complaint.

“This kind of hatred has no place in Nevada,” the attorney general’s office said in a statement. “True Nevadans defend their neighbor, regardless of race, sexual orientation, political beliefs or gender expression. They do not spread hate.”

To contact the FBI call 1-800-Call-FBI or visit tips.fbi.gov. To contact the Nevada Attorney General’s Office, visit https://ag.nv.gov/.

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