Michigan man who allegedly left nooses, racist notes is charged with hate crimes
Kenneth Pilon, 61, reportedly left intimidating messages around his community to prevent people from supporting Black Lives Matter protests.
A 61-year-old man has been hit with six counts of interfering with federally protected activities after he allegedly left nooses and racist notes around his community to prevent people from supporting Black Lives Matter during the protest-packed summer of 2020.
NBC News is reporting that Kenneth Pilon went into several businesses in Saginaw, Michigan, and left nooses with notes attached that read: “An accessory to be worn with your ‘BLM’ t-shirt. Happy protesting!” According to the report, Pilon allegedly left the handwritten messages at random stores around the city, including in a Walmart parking lot, inside a beverage cooler at a 7-Eleven, and in a Goodwill parking lot.
The man reportedly specifically targeted a mixed-race couple. Pilon is accused of leaving a note on one of the vehicles of Regina Simon and her then-husband, Donald Simon. She is Mexican and white; her former spouse is Black. She told NBC News she believes Pilon saw her wearing a handmade Black Lives Matter t-shirt while she was working in her yard.
Donald Simon, who found the note the next day, said that he felt “violated,” adding, “I can’t understand that this racism is still alive.”
In addition, Pilon allegedly called and left derogatory messages at Starbucks stores in the Saginaw area because some employees were wearing Black Lives Matter t-shirts. The affidavit from the Justice Department alleges that when his call was answered, the man would say to staffers, “Tell the Starbucks workers wearing BLM shirts that the only good N-word is a dead N-word.” He allegedly told another worker he did not like Black Lives Matter T-shirts — and that he was “gonna go out and lynch me a N-word.”
Pilon is now accused of intimidating people to prevent them “from participating lawfully in speech and peaceful assembly opposing the denial of Black people’s right to enjoy police protection and services free from brutality.”
His activities occurred during June and July 2020 in the wake of the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which sparked a summer of protests across the country.
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