SILVER SPRING, Md. — Since the Nov. 8 election Montgomery County’s suburban calm has been disrupted by high school students walking out of classes, protesting the presidential election of Donald Trump and a 17 percent increase in reported hate crimes.
County leaders, alarmed by the rise in hate crimes, led a rally in downtown Silver Spring on Sunday afternoon to champion diversity and tolerance.
“We stand for solidarity, compassion, brotherhood and sisterhood in Montgomery County, Maryland,” Congressman-elect Jamie Raskin told a big crowd at Veterans Plaza, bundled up against a fierce, cold wind.
Not far from the rally, 72-year-old Vietnam War veteran Thomas Roszkowski was cleaning off the red-painted swastika from the front door of his home.
“I’m not going to be intimidated by this BS. … People didn’t like my Trump sign,” said Roszkowski, who said his home was also splattered with eggs in recent weeks and said one of his Trump signs taken.
Other hate crimes recently in Montgomery County include a church vandalized with the painted words “Whites only,” and a Black Lives Matter Sign defaced at another church.
The county government-led rally featured an interfaith prayer service, which opened with a Muslim call to prayer and the blowing of a Jewish Shofar.
“We treat people with dignity and respect,” said County Executive Ike Leggett. “I want to make sure we send this message out.”
Montgomery County Council Chairwoman Nancy Floreen warned against “ignoring the demons this election has released.”
