Sign claiming Hapeville leaders “don’t want black people” draws notice
A sign in Hapeville that says the mayor and council “don’t want black people” in the city has drawn renewed attention after the election.
The sign, which was first reported about in June, lists the names of 18 people including Hapeville’s elected leaders. It is on property belonging to Josh Patton, a Hapeville spokesperson said. Over the summer, reports said Patton was in a dispute with the city about his inability to get a liquor license on his property. He is the owner of The Castle restaurant in Hapeville.
A decade ago, a suit Patton filed against the city in federal court claiming racial discrimination was dismissed. The decision, which affirms summary judgment granted to the city, references a previous suit Patton filed.
Attempts to reach Patton were not immediately successful. None of the city’s council members or the mayor immediately returned a phone call seeking comment.
About the Author
Arielle Kass covers Gwinnett County for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She started at the paper in 2010, and has covered business and local government beats around metro Atlanta. Arielle is a graduate of Emory University.
