'Lynching' Halloween Cut-Outs Near Brooklyn School Spur Outrage

CLINTON HILL, BROOKLYN — A Brooklynite's Halloween decorations spurred outrage from neighbors who said her cut-outs resembled brown children getting lynched and had been hung near their children's school.

The brown paper cut-outs of bodies hanging from nooses — which the homeowner said were inspired by a horror movie — briefly appeared in the windows of a Waverly Avenue home across the street from Clinton Hill's P.S. 11, photos show.

Parents who noticed the figures when picking up their kids from school were quick to point out the cut-outs were reminiscent of lynchings of African Americans, and took to social media to call out what they called an inexcusably tone-deaf display.

"To have the kids question why are the kids in the window hanging from rope infuriated me," parent Love Jones wrote in a Facebook post Tuesday that has been shared more than 1,000 times.
"Never would I have thought they would be exposed to Racism at 4 Years old in their own Community!!"

Dany Rose, the homeowner and co-founder of the Bed-Stuy nonprofit studio ArtShack, took down the decorations after a P.S. 11 parent contacted her and posted an apology for what she called a "tremendous mistake."

Rose said she was inspired by the horror movie "Annabelle," which tells the story of a demonic porcelain doll tormenting a family, and did not intend to hurt her neighbors, in a letter she shared with Patch.

"Because they were made of brown kraft paper and hanging from nooses, they were deeply racially offensive," she wrote. "No one should have had to point out this obvious fact to me, and I immediately removed the figures ... I understand that ignorance is no excuse and apologies are not enough, but nonetheless I want to apologize sincerely to my neighbors and community."

The decorations were in her personal home and not affiliated with ArtShack, which provides classes to children, seniors and people with disabilities, Rose added.

But the apology fell flat for some neighbors who said Rose should have realized what the decorations would look like, especially given the largely African American population in Clinton Hill and nearby Bed-Stuy.

"I am so deeply disgusted by the imagery and this ridiculous non-apology," one person wrote. "There is no way that in this city, in this year, and political climate, that you did not know what you were doing. Shame on you. Do better."

Rose said she has met with P.S. 11 staff and is looking for a way to "use her example of white privilege as a teaching moment."

"You may not believe that I have an open mind, but please believe that I have an open heart and open ears and I will listen to your voices to make things right," Rose said.

This is not the first time Halloween decorations resembling lynching have been taken down in Brooklyn.

Last year, a life-size hanging body on Atlantic Avenue got taken down after protesters rallied outside the building and police visited the home. Another time, back in 2011, a black scarecrow hanging from a rope in Kensington got cut down by police.