FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry has joined a national coalition of mayors opposed to hate, extremism and bigotry.
Henry’s office announced Friday he had signed the Mayors’ Compact to Combat Hate, Extremism and Bigotry, which is an effort led by the US Conference of Mayors and the Anti-Defamation League.
The compact calls for members to expressly reject such beliefs, denounce all acts of hate wherever they occur, ensure public safety while protecting free speech and other constitutional rights, and to bring together civic and community leaders to build trust, among other components.
Henry says there’s “no place for the hate and division we’re experiencing as a nation and it must stop.”
The full press release is below:
Fort Wayne, Ind. – Mayor Tom Henry has joined mayors from across the country to sign the Mayors’ Compact to Combat Hate, Extremism and Bigotry. The effort is led by the Anti-Defamation League and U.S. Conference of Mayors.
The Mayors’ Compact has 10 components:
*Expressly rejecting extremism, white supremacy and all forms of bigotry
*Denouncing all acts of hate wherever they occur
*Ensuring public safety while protecting free speech and other basic constitutional rights
*Calling for fully-restored law enforcement and civil rights investigations of domestic terrorism and hate crimes
*Elevating and prioritizing anti-bias and anti-hate programs in our nation’s schools
*Supporting targeted communities and bringing together civic and community leaders to build trust
*Celebrating diversity, promoting inclusivity and challenging bias
*Promoting law enforcement training on responding to and reporting hate incidents, hate crimes and domestic terrorism
*Encouraging residents in their communities to report hate incidents and crimes, including using hotlines and online tools
*Maintaining civil rights enforcement and strengthening hate crime laws when necessary
“There is no place for the hate and division we’re experiencing as a nation and it must stop. We have to be committed to finding solutions to differences and promote the fundamental principles of justice and equality,” said Mayor Henry. “I’m proud to stand with other mayors as we speak out against hate, extremism and bigotry and want our respective communities to know we value all human life.”
