Black Lives Matter banner vandalized in front of Westport church

The Unitarian Church in Westport’s Black Lives Matter gold banner on Lyons Plains Road in Westport was vandalized last week. Written under the phrase “Black Lives Matter” was scrawled: “a racist, terrorist organization,” which someone else then covered with black tape in an attempt to blot out the graffiti.

Since 2016, when the Unitarian Church erected it, the banner has been vandalized twice before this latest incident. Each time, the church has put up a new banner with the pledge to do so again and again should the need arise. Each time, it has followed through on its commitment to contribute $100 to Black Lives Matter if ever the banner were defaced or destroyed. And each time the community reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, with total strangers sending words of support and offers to contribute to a new banner.

"Black Lives Matter is a movement dedicated to the proposition that black lives should matter as much as white lives do today,” explains the Reverend John Morehouse, Senior Minister at the church. “But the fact is that currently, white lives matter more by almost every measure. Our Unitarian Universalist faith community has been, and continues to be, dedicated to defeating racism. The fact of the matter is that Black Lives Matter is avowedly anti-racist in its call for black and brown lives to matter as much as white lives.”

The sign will be repaired and will remain as a testament to our community’s aspiration.

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The Unitarian Church in Westport is a diverse and welcoming religious community, free of creed and dogma, and open to people of all backgrounds and beliefs.

WE INSPIRE and support individual growth.
WE CONNECT through worship, music, learning, and caring ministries.
WE ACT in the service of peace and justice.

Sunday Services are at 10 AM, aired during this pandemic on our Facebook page “The Unitarian Church in Westport.”