NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — A Nashville company CEO says she will not be intimidated after finding a box painted with Confederate flags hanging from a tree on property owned by her business.
This happened in North Nashville at the corner of 21st Ave. N. and Jefferson St. in a predominantly Black neighborhood, and that CEO now wants to press charges.
Thankfully, Metro Police’s bomb squad didn’t find anything dangerous inside the box. Still, the owner of this land says it sent a clear message, and she wants to send an even clearer one back.
LaDonna Boyd took a video yesterday afternoon after finding a box painted with Confederate flags hanging from a tree on property owned by her business.
“We will certainly make sure that we get to the bottom of whoever did this,” Boyd said in the video.
Boyd is the CEO of R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation in Nashville, which is one of the oldest black-owned businesses in the country, and was started by her great great grandfather.
She says whoever did this sent a loud and clear message.
“Right here at Citizens Bank, on historic Jefferson Street. Of course, Meharry’s right behind us, Fisk University as well, TSU’s right down the street, and tons of black-owned businesses and residents, so we know that this was very intentional,” Boyd said.
Metro Police say they sent members of their bomb squad to the scene, and they found nothing dangerous in the box. Boyd says there was a note inside, but it had been raining, so they couldn’t read it.
Still, she has her own message for whoever is responsible.
“We’re not afraid, we’re not intimidated, we’re not going to stand for this and tolerate this, and that they should be warned that we are certainly going to press charges, and make sure that we’re able to get full justice,” Boyd said.
Right now, surrounding businesses are reviewing their surveillance footage to see if they can help. Boyd says she would pursue hate crime, intimidation, suspicious package and trespassing charges.
“I’m not surprised, it’s just, it’s sad, and it’s unfortunate, and for someone to stand behind something like a Confederate flag… obviously they lost the war, and white supremacists are also going to lose this battle as well,” Boyd said.
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Original Story:
A box with the Confederate flag on its exterior was found hung on the property of a Black-owned business in Nashville and owners are seeking to press charges.
R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation CEO LaDonna Boyd captured video on Instagram, writing “we will neither be intimidated nor silenced.”
LaDonna said the cardbox was left on the property of R.H. Boyd Publishing, one of the oldest Black-owned businesses in the country in a predominantly Black neighborhood.
“This box with the Confederate flag on the exterior was left on property owned by R.H. Boyd on Jefferson Street in a predominantly Black neighborhood. It was across the street from Citizens Bank, which is near Meharry Medical College, Fisk University, and Tennessee State University, among many other Black owned and operated businesses,” Boyd wrote.
Metro Police tell FOX 17 News members of the Hazardous Device Unit responded to the vacant lotlot at the corner of 21st Avenue North and Jefferson Street and determined the box didn’t contain any dangerous materials.
She said there was a note inside, but was illegible due to rain.
Boyd said police were called and she plans on pressing charges.
“Once the perpetrators are identified, we are pressing full charges for trespassing, suspicious package, intimidation, and a hate crime. Whomever carried out this intentional act of hatred will be punished accordingly,” Boyd wrote.
Police said theThe Specialized Investigations Division was also made aware of the box due to the confederate flag emblem and it’s placement in the neighborhood.
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The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, condemned the act.
Hear from LaDonna Boyd on FOX 17 News at 5:30 p.m. Stream in the video player below:
