As news of increased police patrols in and around Jena, La were reported Tuesday in response to death threats against families of the Jena 6, Rev. Al Sharpton released a statement saying he, too, has been targeted by the same hate group.
"That addresses for my residencies and offices are now publicly listed on the web page of the Neo-Nazi group that continues to list the addresses of the Jena Six and their families is outrageous and shows they are now tagging leaders that have come to the aid of the Jena Six," said Sharpton in a statement released Tuesday.
"This illustrates why FBI efforts aren't taken seriously," he added. "We are in Washington, D.C., today asking for intervention by the federal government because this is tantamount to mocking them. It also jeopardizes me and those that travel with me."
Extra patrols in Jena began several days ago in response to the death threats, LaSalle Parish Sheriff Carl Smith told AP.
Last week a Web site featuring a swastika and racial slurs had posted what purported to be the addresses of five of the six teens and phone numbers for some of their families "in case anyone wants to deliver justice." The posting was dated Thursday, the same day thousands of people marched in Jena to protest racial inequality and what they saw as overly harsh charges against the six black teens.
The Louisiana State Police has dispatched three investigators to help local police investigate any possible threats, agency spokesman Lt. Lawrence McLeary said. So far, the calls reported have been of a more "derogatory nature," he said.
Smith and other local officials, including the Jena police chief and mayor and the county district attorney, issued a statement saying threats had also been made against the white student who was beaten. In the statement, they denounced all of the threats.
"Such vile and cowardly acts will not be tolerated in Jena or LaSalle Parish," the statement read.
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