Cars With Racial Slurs Drive Through Tinley Park Causing Concern

TINLEY PARK, IL — A number of vehicles have been spotted driving through areas of Tinley Park, Orland Park and Orland Hills with derogatory and racist language written in duct tape.

The statements on the cars read, "Tinley Parkkk, we Lynch [racial slur]," "Makkke [racial slur] Afraid Again" and "Tinley Parkkk, White Only," among other statements.

According to Tinley Park Police Chief Matthew Walsh, the people driving the cars are two Black men, trying to spread a message that, to him, is unclear. The chief said the state's attorney's office informed the village that this act is protected by the First Amendment. The state's attorney said if a citizen found it offensive enough to file a formal complaint, the people involved could be charged with disorderly conduct.

"We're aware of it," Walsh told Patch. "I don't know why they would put words like that on a vehicle. I don't understand it."

In a Wednesday afternoon news release Walsh said, “The statements written on these cars were incredibly offensive. We don’t tolerate hate of any kind here in Tinley Park, regardless of where it comes from or who it’s directed at.”

The chief said the group has protested around Tinley Park on various occasions, also using racial slurs to make their message known. He says the group hasn't used terms such as these before in their demonstrations, and he does not believe residents are in danger or should feel as though they are.

Patch reached out to one of the men involved in the acts, asking what the message behind it is. The man responded with, "You should ask the Tinley Park Police Department, they can tell you," and did not comment any further when asked.

Editor's note: After publishing, one of the men involved told Patch the demonstration is a protest against the Tinley Park Police Department.

Chicago resident Dana Bozeman was shopping in Tinley Park with her husband and daughter, and snapped a photo of something that caught her off guard.

"I was angry and a little fearful. If someone feels comfortable putting that on their car, you have no idea what else they might do," Bozeman told Patch. "I was with my husband and oldest daughter. We did not tell her about it until they turned off of the street we were on. I knew that my husband would protect us, but didn't want him to be in that situation either. It is hard to control the kind of anger that comes with a trauma like that. Whether it was an actual white supremacist or a misguided Black person, it is a gross trauma to inflict on passersby."

Bozeman went on to say, "Regardless of who is doing it, this is not OK. If it is a protest, it is seriously misguided."

Residents who feel inclined may file a complaint by contacting the Tinley Park Police Department at (708) 532-9111 or stopping by the station. The complainant would have to be able to positively identify the drivers and be willing to attend court, according to the release.

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