A man, who harassed his West Indian neighbors 30 different times has been sentenced to almost a decade in prison for violating the civil rights of minorities in his community and possession of multiple firearms.
Law enforcement also discovered the Massachusetts native affiliated himself with Nazi and Ku Klux Klan doctrine and had a lot of Confederate items in his home.
On February 3, 2023, according to a news release obtained by Atlanta Black Star, Robert Ivarson pled guilty to multiple firearm crimes and a hate crime against the Haitian people in his community. Ivarson, who lives in Lexington, Massachusetts, was accused and convicted of throwing banana peels on his Black Haitian neighbors’ driveway.
The throwing of bananas act is a form of racial harassment rooted in years of stereotypes and bigoted jokes that refer to Black people as monkeys or apes.
Even the president of the United States endured this longstanding form of racial harassment. During President Barack Obama’s administration, former first lady Michelle Obama was called an ape and referred to as a monkey because of her dark skin, African features, and muscular physique.
Superior Court Justice Laurence Pierce sentenced Ivarson to 7 to 9 years in state prison, followed by 3 years of probation. While on probation, he is mandated to have no contact with the victims and their family members. He is also prohibited from owning and/or possessing firearms, dangerous weapons, ammunition, or magazines.
Lastly, the defendant will be required to undergo a mental health evaluation and any other recommended treatment.
On Thursday, Feb. 9, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said it was the racially motivated hate crime against his neighbor that tipped the government to Ivarson’s arsenal of weapons.
Ryan said, “Ivarson targeted his neighbors because of their race. His repeated throwing of banana peels into their driveway was terrorizing and caused them to feel…
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