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Residents urge council to place hate-crimes ordinance on a future agenda
Summary
Multiple speakers during public comment asked the Spartanburg City Council to consider a local hate-crimes ordinance, citing local incidents, existing municipal models across South Carolina and a desire to follow up on the city’s prior healing resolution.
Several residents used the meeting’s public-comment period on Aug. 25 to ask the Spartanburg City Council to place a hate-crimes ordinance on a future agenda. Commenters said they want the city to consider local protections that would follow up on a “healing resolution” the council passed five years earlier.
Colby King, a city resident, educator and founding board member of the community group Siren, said, “My friends and I and Siren are asking you to pass a hate crimes ordinance.” King noted that 48 states have hate-crimes laws and said municipal ordinances exist in about 21 South Carolina localities, and that Siren has drafted suggested language the council could consider.
Tony Tanner, another resident and organizer, told the council that recent incidents, including attacks he said were connected to the city’s LGBTQIA community and other identity-based incidents, show a need for clarity and protection. He urged council to place “Roy C. Henderson hate crimes ordinance” on an upcoming agenda and said adopting an ordinance would “send a clear message that harming others based on their identity is unacceptable.”
Speakers tied the request to other city efforts, noting Spartanburg’s membership in the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE), prior proclamations recognizing Juneteenth and LGBTQIA+ month, and recent partnership work on health equity. No formal action or vote occurred on the request at the meeting; the comments were entered into the public record and several council members said they will continue discussions.
What’s next: Council members referred to continuing conversations among council and staff and said they will follow up on whether and how to draft ordinance language for a future meeting.
Noted speakers and affiliations: Colby King (resident, educator; founding board member, Siren) and Tony Tanner (resident/organizer).
