The Faculty of Columbia Journalism School strongly condemns the intimidation of journalists as they report on threats against Haitian immigrant communities in Springfield, Ohio and beyond.
A hoax email claiming a murder had taken place prompted police to search the home of Macollvie J. Neel, a journalist with the Haitian Times, a New-York based online news site, in a ploy commonly used by far-right extremists to intimidate members of the press. Neel had been reporting on threats against Haitian immigrants in Springfield after presidential running mates Donald Trump, JD Vance and other politicians made false and bigoted allegations against immigrants there.
The Haitian Times has diligently chronicled the events unfolding in Springfield, which included an anti-immigrant protest by a white supremacist group and bomb threats against schools and government buildings. Last year, Haitian Times staff wrote about the conviction of a Springfield resident for a string of hate crimes that targeted people of Haitian heritage. Last weekend, the Haitian Times was forced to cancel its in-person public dialogue for Springfield residents after being warned by city officials that the safety of participants and journalists could not be guaranteed.
Journalists play a vital role in exposing dangerous disinformation. When politicians spread falsehoods, the work that journalists do to hold them to account and report the truth becomes more important than ever—especially when those falsehoods can lead to harmful actions or speech.
“The Haitian Times worked tirelessly to disprove such falsehoods,” wrote the National Association of Black Journalists. “Now, they face harassment and threats as a result of their efforts to uphold the journalistic principles of truth and accuracy.”
Journalists are also among the hundreds of thousands of Haitians who have been forced to flee to the United States in recent years—some to escape the very violence that they once reported on. They and their colleagues should not have to face similar threats or intimidation here, in the United States.
We urge politicians and their supporters not to hinder journalists as they work to stop disinformation and its corrosive effects on democratic life. And we call on law enforcement agencies to protect journalists from unlawful harassment, investigate the perpetrators of these threats, and ensure that journalists can safely go about their First Amendment-protected duties to inform the public, who we serve.
Signed,
The Faculty of Columbia Journalism School
