Henrico neighbors: racially charged Easter eggs left on lawns

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - Neighbors in Henrico's West End say they were shocked and appalled, Easter Sunday morning, after finding eggs with messages left on their front lawns. Neighbors of the Tuckahoe community call the messages controversial and racist- left for them, or their children, to open.

Each egg carried a slip of paper with a typed message. One message targets diversity and immigration. The other had links to websites outlining the ideology of whoever spread these eggs. Many of the plastic eggs were spread on Dunsmore Road front yards.

"I was like, 'Oh, one of the neighbors gave me an egg.' And I opened it up, and it had this horrible message in it," described neighbor Jim McCarty.

The message read "'Diversity' = White Genocide." The slip of paper further states immigration of "non whites" is genocide. Other eggs had links to two websites, depicting more controversial ideology.

"I was stunned by it, on Easter Sunday," said McCarty. "I wonder how many children picked these up and said, 'Look what I got. Oh, I got hatred on Easter Sunday. What a great gift.'"

McCarty collected as many of the eggs as he could. Other eggs and loose messages could be spotted strewn around the block.

"It's disappointing and depressing... ugly," said John Bowling, who found one of the plastic eggs on his lawn.

For McCarty, he has his own message, specifically for children who may have found the eggs.

"You can spend your life spreading hatred or you can spend your life trying to spread kindness," added McCarty.

NBC12 reached out to the groups possibly behind the messages, but hasn't heard back, yet.

Henrico police say they have taken reports and are investigating.

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