Local politicians and Barrington residents were among those who registered support the evening of June 10 at a meeting of the Barrington village board in support of a gay student whose house had been vandalized.
Police are investigating the incident as a potential hate crime, according to Daily Herald. The remarks came during the public comment section of the meeting.
Several plastic forks had been mounted on his family's lawn, as well as a sign that featured a suicide-prevention hotline phone number, an obscenity and the acronym "KYS," on May 31.
Scott Nelles, the student's father, said at the meeting that his openly lesbian daughter had been harassed via social media.
Representatives for openly gay Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison and U.S. Rep. Sean Casten ( D-6 ) also spoke at the gathering in support of the student.
In a June 10 statement, Morrison said, "My heart goes out to the family affected by this incident, and to all LGBTQ individuals and allies here in Barrington and the region. Please know that I stand by you. My office is ready and willing to help in any way that we can. As I said, I know all too well what it feels like to face this type of harassment and bullying; and I know what it would have meant to me to have my school, my government, and my community stand by my side. This is a horrible moment in our region's history, but we must remember that we have the power to write the next chapter of this story. Let it be one of action and advocacy."
Daily Herald's article is at www.dailyherald.com/news/20190610/barrington-police-investigate-vandalism-at-gay-students-home-as-hate-crime .
