During a press conference held Monday, Gainesville Mayor Lauren Poe addressed the feeling of anxiety some in the city have felt since Donald Trump was elected president. He also called on residents to report cases of intimidation and threats following incidents in Gainesville and across the country.
Speaking outside City Hall, Poe said residents and organizations representing marginalized communities in the city informed him about threats they have received since the election. He cited reports of pro-white fliers appearing at UF, but he said no other incidents had been reported at Santa Fe College or in any of Alachua County’s public schools.
“It is with some degree of sadness that I feel like this is necessary, but it has become very clear over the last week that many of our residents in the city of Gainesville feel a certain degree of anxiety and apprehension,” Poe said.
Since the election, Gainesville Police have received two reports of people being threatened, said GPD spokesman Officer Ben Tobias.
“Neither, at this point, have been classified as hate crimes,” Tobias said, adding that he could not comment specifically on either case.
In light of protests in Gainesville denouncing Trump’s proposal to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, Poe stressed the importance of the city’s inclusivity and diversity.
He said GPD does not have a policy that aims to locate and report illegal immigrants to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which performs the functions of the former Immigration and Naturalization Service.
Anyone who has experienced or witnessed harassment should call GPD at 352-955-1818 or call 911 if he or she is in immediate danger, Poe said. Some have not been reporting due to fear of retaliation, he said.
“We want to encourage them that they need to come forward,” Poe said.
Melissa Wokasch, a 40-year-old Gainesville resident, asked Poe how he planned to stop threats and intimidation before they happened, to which Poe responded that GPD was ready to handle reports.
Wokasch said she wanted to hear what local government would do to combat intimidation after she was called a slur Monday. Someone had seen a Hillary Clinton sticker on her phone while she was at a Kangaroo Gas Station.
As a gay woman, she said she worries for herself and her 12-year-old daughter.
“This is the first time in Gainesville that I’ve felt unsafe,” Wokasch said.
