Stickers can't keep Austin racist

Stickers that said "exclusively for white people" appeared on the windows of businesses across East Austin yesterday, sparking condemnation and confusion as residents, activists, and at least one lawmaker wrestled with what the statements meant and who placed them there. "Maximum of 5 colored customers / colored BOH staff accepted," some of the stickers read, BOH referring to the "back of house" operations at a restaurant. They also featured a city of Austin logo and claimed to be "sponsored by the City of Austin Contemporary Partition and Restoration Program," though no such program exists. The city has said the use of its logo was unauthorized. City officials also said the businesses did not knowingly display the stickers, which were discovered by employees yesterday morning. No one had publicly claimed responsibility for them as of yesterday afternoon local time. Nevertheless, Rare Trends, a clothing store on East 12th Street that was among at least seven businesses targeted, received numerous angry phone calls and a visit from the Austin NAACP president over the sticker. Whoever's doing this, STOP IT. It's not funny, and it's giving people the wrong idea about the businesses being targeted. Don't put signs like that on people's doors just because you want to bring attention to your plight.