U.S. Postal Inspectors investigate racist postcards mailed in Milwaukee's south side

United States Postal Inspectors are working with the Milwaukee Police Department to investigate racist postcards targeting Hispanics.

Business owners are also being proactive. They organized a community meeting at Salon Fiesta on Greenfield Avenue in Milwaukee’s south side Thursday (Oct. 2). They plan to send Mayor Tom Barrett a letter.

Some business owners who received the postcard live in Alderman José Perez's district. Perez said he has also contacted the Milwaukee Police Department.

"The constituents are offended, which they should be and there's also some fear that this may escalate,” Perez said. “We don't want that to happen and that's why the police is involved."

Perez encourages people to call authorities if they receive one of these postcards.

"I know that they are investigating to see if any ordinance or state statute has been violated and if and when that happens I have all the confidence that police will take all the right measures and hold that person accountable," Perez said.

Jaime Alvarado, co-chair of Rid Racism Milwaukee, said these postcards could be protected under free speech. However, the author may face charges if it’s determined that the message threatens others.

"Sometimes there's speech that we don't like but it's an important right. We feel that hate speech is different,” Alvarado said. “It's something that affects many groups whether it's black, Latinos, Asians. It's something that we will not tolerate."

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