Northern Virginia Hair Care Business Overrun By Racist Posts on Its Facebook PageUpdated: Monday, 09 May 2011, 10:46 PM EDT
Published : Monday, 09 May 2011, 10:46 PM EDT
By WILL THOMAS/myfoxdc
ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Racist rants, images and videos are starting to overtake a Facebook page created by a Northern Virginia hair care business with an African American customer base.
One of the owners, Padrica Norfleet of NaturalistaCosmetics.com, told FOX 5's Will Thomas new hate-filled messages appear just as quickly as she deletes the old ones.
The Facebook page is a forum for her customers to discuss hairstyles and offer each other product tips. A video of a KKK cross burning was also posted on her page.
"That cuts deep because that's a part of my history. My grandparents and great-grandparents were part of the slave movement and this is what they had to endure. So having to see this up close and personal in 2011 is just mind blowing," Norfleet said.
Fairfax County Police took a report Sunday, and right now, the case is being investigated as a computer harassment case, which comes with a possible penalty of up to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine.
Facebook provided FOX 5 with the following statement:
“We want Facebook to be a place where people can openly discuss issues and express their views, while respecting the rights and feelings of others. That's why we provide robust tools for Facebook Page and Group administrators to manage these forums themselves. These tools allow administrators to delete comments and pieces of content they feel aren't adding to the discussion as well as ban individual people from joining a Facebook Page or Group. When acted upon, those settings should take effect immediately.”