The incident happened during a Hot August Nights event in Virginia City, Nevada, on August 2. The car show organization says they have identified the people shown in the video.
Content warning: The following article contains descriptions of racist hate speech.
A TikTok video recorded by a Black man in Nevada has gained over a million views. In the video, the Black man confronts a White man he accuses of using racial slurs and mentioning a “hanging tree.”
TikTok user, unclerickyd1, shared the video where the White man is seen holding up two middle fingers and smiling.
“Keep talking,” says the TikTok user identified as Rick Johnson by News 4. “And where’s the tree at to hang people? Where is that? Where is the hanging tree at?”
The White man replies, “In your backyard.”
The 5-minute, 6-second video shows several people, with Johnson focusing on the first White man initially. When told to leave, Johnson says, “Make me leave,” to which the White man responds, “I don’t make trash, I burn it,” as someone next to him laughs.
Later, the White man can be heard saying, “I’m going to be on the 5 o’clock news.”
A White woman then tries to move Johnson off the sidewalk, telling him to leave her property and even follows him into the street. She repeatedly says she loves him and that “Jesus loves you,” while continuing to touch him. Johnson responds, “You’re steady touching me, ma’am. This is assault.”
With his voice shaking, Johnson addresses the crowd, “Ya’ll are going to allow this s— to happen like nobody cares?”
He explains to a younger woman, “Your dad just said there’s a hanging tree for n—— like me. What does that mean? I did not disrespect your dad. I asked him nicely, ‘Excuse me, are you a registered voter?’ He said, ‘No,’ then turned around and said, ‘There’s a hanging tree down the road for n—— like me.’”
“And all of them just ganged up on me,” Johnson continues through tears before putting down some clipboards he was carrying and ending the video.
The caption on the TikTok video reads, “This is what I had to go [through] today!! I’ve never felt so humiliated and disrespected in my life.”
The incident took place during a Hot August Nights car show in Virginia City, Nev., on August 2.
“The individuals in the viral video have been identified, and their Hot August Nights registrations have been revoked,” the organization stated. “We want to clarify that no Hot August Nights representatives, volunteers, or staff were involved. The individuals wearing Hot August Nights badges are event participants.”
The Storey County Sheriff’s Office and the Nevada Attorney General have commented on the incident, and an investigation is underway.
The Sheriff’s Office stated, “We at the sheriff’s office do not condone or support racism, inequality, or hate speech,” and added, “A case has been pulled regarding this incident and is being investigated.”
Nevada’s Attorney General Aaron D. Ford addressed the incident, stating, “My office is aware of the hateful, racist incident caught on camera in Virginia City, one of Nevada’s most storied towns. Individuals are shown verbally harassing a Black man and apparently referenced a ‘hanging tree’ during their aggressive interaction with him.”
“As Nevada’s Attorney General, I wholly condemn their actions. Such hate does not represent the values we hold here in Nevada, and it should not be countenanced,” Ford added. “I have reached out to Sheriff Cullen to offer my support in his office’s investigation into this matter.”
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