CoastTV covers the May 21st SDARJ Town Hall
A Town Hall meeting in Lewes, Delaware addressed hate crimes, specifically focusing on a recent incident involving two former volunteer firefighters accused of chasing a Black employee with a noose. The event, hosted by the Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice, included a panel discussion on hate crimes and their impact on victims, emphasizing the need for improved community relationships and updated policies within fire departments. The meeting aimed to foster dialogue and progress in combating hate crimes in Sussex County.
Local organizations and members of the Delaware Department of Justice address hate crimes at Town Hall
Zakiya Jennings May 21, 2025
LEWES, Del. – Local organizations and members of the Delaware Department of Justice participated in a Town Hall to address hate crimes in Sussex County and across Delaware.
The Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice hosted a Town Hall at the Lewes Public Library at 6 p.m.
The six person panel was made up of six panelists including the public information officer for the Millville Volunteer Fire Company, Gary Caunitis, Kurt Bacon, the president of the Sussex County Branch of the NAACP and the State Deputy Attorney General.
This event comes after two former volunteer firefighters at the Millville Volunteer Fire Company, Jay Droney and Jordan Hastings, were arrested and now face hate crime charges after they chased a paid employee with a rope tied as a noose.
The focus of the event was on hate crimes and even more so, a message for victims of hate crimes.
“That hateful behavior has no place in Sussex County,” said Joseph Lawson.
Joseph Lawson, the Executive Director of the Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice says he thinks the meeting showed some progress.
“I’m feeling like we came up with a couple of things that really need to happen. There needs to be a much closer relationship between the fire departments and the communities in Sussex County.”
Mics traveled around the room as attendees asked their questions and shared their points of view.
