We condemn the anti-Palestinian bias displayed by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, and the discriminatory framing of a Pro-Palestine citizen speaker using their public platform. We demand accountability: a public apology, correction of the record, and a commitment to end biased and exclusionary practices. Discrimination has no place in our community.

On April 15, Supervisor Kristen C. Umstattd used her position on the dais (comments start at 3:49:28) to promote a criminalizing narrative about a citizen speaker, without reviewing video evidence or consulting all parties involved in an incident that occurred on April 1. This false narrative was therefore entered into the public record by Supervisor Umstattd and further endorsed by chair Phyllis Randall. On May 6, when a citizen speaker mentioned the falsehoods, Chair Randall doubled down (comments at 2:08:25) and cited her conversations with security guards, insisting that the story was true, even though she had not reviewed any security footage. Both Supervisor Umstattd and Chair Randall used their positions of power in order to defame the character of a citizen speaker, without reviewing facts and instead, relying on hearsay. Their bias was in full form as they did not reach out to the other parties involved in the incident, nor did they respond to any attempts by the citizen speaker and other constituents to communicate the facts to the board. Instead, they immediately believed one side’s story as fact, and then proceeded to issue public statements that endanger our private citizens.

These actions not only harm the individual speaker but set a dangerous precedent that affects the entire community. In fact, security personnel were directed based on this misinformation, resulting in racial profiling at the following meeting on June 3, in which security surrounded pro-Palestine speakers in the lobby as they peacefully engaged in civic discourse with their elected representatives. Such intimidation tactics silence voices and threaten the foundation of democratic participation.

At the June 3 board meeting, the board threatened on multiple occasions to restrict public comment, with Supervisor Kershner stating at one point that “free speech can be taken too far.” (Comments at 3:00:10) This chilling rhetoric reveals an alarming willingness to suppress dissent. The board is using its platform, not to serve its constituents, but to silence them, particularly those who speak out in support of the Palestinian cause. This effort to avoid accountability and further marginalize voices must be condemned. Loudoun4All has initiated an email campaign to demand accountability for these egregious actions.