The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights is asking the Department of Justice to investigate allegations of police misconduct and racial comments made by a western Kentucky mayor.
Friday, Commission Executive Director John Johnson sent a letter to the DoJ’s Western District office after receiving complaints by Providence residents alleging racial profiling and harassment by city police officers and comments made by Mayor Eddie Gooch.
Webster County’s Journal-Enterprise reported that during a June 7th City Council meeting, Gooch admonished a resident for wearing a “Black Lives matter” t-shirt, telling her that if she wore the shirt in the chamber again, she would be escorted out.
Gooch then called the Black Lives Matter movement “a racist organization” and said “Black lives only matter when they’re killed by a white police officer – All lives matter.”
Director Johnson says he doesn’t believe ”the mayor’s remarks install confidence that the civil and constitutional rights of the residents of Providence will be protected.”
Gooch is the brother of State Rep. Jim Gooch.
A call to city hall and Mayor Gooch for comment was not returned Tuesday.
