VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) — Black ministers have called for Virginia Beach’s city manager to resign over text messages that his deputy sent about protesters, referring to them as “5 percenters.”
The Virginian-Pilot reported Tuesday that the texts were sent last year between city manager Dave Hansen and deputy Ron Williams as protesters marched against the city. The protesters were questioning whether equal opportunities are given to minorities who want to pursue major development projects.
The leaders of the march believe the “5 percenters” term refers to those who belong to Five Percent Nation. The group had broken off from The Nation of Islam and formed in the 1960s.
Williams has denied he used the term disparagingly. Hansen has supported Williams and said the conversation didn’t have racial undertones. Both Williams and Hansen are white.
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Information from: The Virginian-Pilot, http://pilotonline.com
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