After racial slurs graffitied in two areas were discovered in the Village of Great Neck Plaza about two weeks ago, local leaders and elected officials came together to condemn the act and all forms of hate.
“An act of hatred or an act of prejudice against any individual or any group in our society is an act of hatred against all of us,” Great Neck Plaza Mayor Ted Rosen said at a press conference Wednesday. “It is against the very fabric of our diverse, multicultural society.”
Rosen said two incidents of the N-word used in vandalism in the village occurred, one written on a newly paved portion of the sidewalk and another spray-painted on the back wall of a retail building.
“These acts were not insignificant. These acts were not trivial,” Rosen said. “And let’s make no mistake about it – these were acts of hatred. Pure and simple.”
The mayor called the vandalism a “blow” to the community.
“That’s why we stand here together, united and strong, condemning these acts but also all bigotry,” Rosen said.
It is unknown who and how many individuals were involved in the vandalism, Rosen said. The Nassau County Police are investigating the reports.
“People have to know there will be consequences, that this is wrong and that an act of hate against any of us is an act of hate against all of us,” North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said.
While Rosen noted that the press conference was one he hoped to never hold, he said it was important to inform the community and unite against all forms of hate.
Nassau County District 10 Legislator Mazi Pilip said hateful acts have been on the rise and the community must unite in spite of their differences.
“We all bring something beautiful to the table and we just have to accept, learn from each other and come together very strong when it comes to hate,” Pilip said.
The last time a press conference of this nature was held was in March 2023 after a Great Neck Chinese Association banner was vandalized with a racial slur.
“And we will keep coming together every time hate rears its ugly head in our community, in our town, in our state,” North Hempstead Town Council Member Christine Liu said.
Rosen and many other elected officials denounced all forms of hate on the Great Neck peninsula, in the Town of North Hempstead and beyond.
“I’m so glad that as elected officials and community leaders, we were all able to come together, different backgrounds, different political affiliations, that we stand together and say ‘This is wrong,’” state Assembly Member Gina Sillitti said. “We have a mantra…‘Not in our town.’ You’re not going to do this in our town. You’re not going to do this, you’re not going to spew hate and we’re not going to be quiet about it.”
To combat such acts, Liu and Great Neck Library Board President Rory Lancman called for education at home, in schools and in the community.
Lancman invited the perpetrators to the library to learn of inclusion, tolerance and understanding – the very tenets he said the library stands for.
“There’s no act of racism or bigotry that is too small to deserve our attention, and all of us should take comfort in the fact that so many different institutions, elected officials of every background here in the room are saying with one voice that this kind of hate is not acceptable in our community,” Lancman said.
