The Rev. Miguel Rivera of the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders and the Rev. Eliseo Nogueras of the Hispanic Ministerial Association of Rhode Island speak about a recent incident involving a store owner and two Latino customers.

The Providence Journal / Kris Craig

PROVIDENCE — A new initiative borne of a recent incident between a Providence storeowner and two Spanish-speaking customers is asking all Rhode Islanders to help stop hate speech and violence directed at “immigrants and communities of color.”

The “We Can Stop the Hate” campaign was announced at the University of Rhode Island’s downtown campus, a week after published reports about a March 1 encounter between two Dominican natives who are also U.S. citizens, and David C. Richardson, owner of Rhode Island Refrigeration. The incident provoked accusations against Richardson of racial profiling and committing a hate crime.

The “stop the hate” organizers said their coalition of community organizations, government officials, business leaders and community advocates will circulate a petition statewide and ask Rhode Islanders “to pledge against hate speech.” They will conduct educational forums at universities, schools and businesses, among other venues; they said they will take their campaign to the media.

“Rhode Islanders must be educated about the use of hate speech and the growing discrimination and violence against Latinos and other immigrants, both in our backyards and across the country,” said Miguel Sanchez-Hartwein, executive director for the Center for Hispanic Policy and Advocacy (CHisPA) and an organizer of the new initiative.

“Words do have consequences,” said Sanchez-Hartwein. He said rhetoric is often propagated in “a very organized” fashion and uses “code words” such as “an army of invaders” or “an invading force” when referring to immigrants — making no distinction between legal immigrants and those who are here illegally. He said such rhetoric can escalate “into extremist hate speech.”

Sanchez-Hartwein said, “It sometimes takes an incident like an unlawful request of a Social Security card from an individual trying to make a simple purchase to bring these matters to the forefront.”

State Sen. Juan Pichardo, one of half-dozen speakers, said, “We have to elevate the immigration debate. We, as Rhode Islanders, need to make our community stronger. This is no longer about ‘legal’ versus ‘illegal’ immigrants. It’s about all immigrants.”

Pichardo added, “All this hate speech — we need to stop this wave. It’s not the America we pursue to fight for.”

Speakers yesterday included state Rep. Joseph Almeida; Steven Brown, executive director of the Rhode Island Affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union; Brown University Prof. Cynthia Garcia-Coll; Ramon Martinez, executive director of Progreso Latino; the Rev. Eliseo Nogueras, of the Hispanic Pastors Association of Rhode Island and head of the regional affiliate of the National Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders; and Melba DePeña, executive director of the Providence Human Relations Commission.

Martinez, of Progreso Latino, said one of the initiative’s goals will be “to question claims being made” about illegal immigration and immigrants in general and determine whether “the data is fact, or conjecture?”

The triggering incident occurred when José Genao, a state worker, and a friend went to Richardson’s store to buy a part for a boiler. While Richardson looked for the requested part, he heard Genao and his friend speaking to one another in Spanish.

Richardson then asked the men for their Social Security cards. When they declined to do so, Richardson displayed his membership card for Rhode Islanders for Immigration Law Enforcement (RIILE), a group that advocates curbs against illegal immigration.

Genao said Richardson lifted a phone receiver and told the men he could call immigration authorities “at any time” and make “a citizens’ arrest.”

Richardson said he was acting on his right as an American citizen because he believes that “that majority of people — more than 51 percent — who don’t speak English, are illegal aliens.”

Brown, of the ACLU, called Richardson’s actions “clearly and patently illegal” and said “there are legal remedies available” for people who believe their civil liberties have been violated.

Genoa said yesterday he plans to file a discrimination claim against Richardson with the Providence Human Relations Commission.

Genao said he wants people “to know not to be afraid to report incidents like this” and to make others “think twice” about taking actions similar to Richardson’s. He said that same motivation pushed him to go public with the incident, even when his friend encouraged him “to forget about it.” The friend has declined comment.

Terry Gorman, who founded RIILE in 2006, said he resents the criticisms of his group since the incident at Richardson’s store. That included brief references to RIILE at the “We Can Stop The Hate” campaign.

“I disagree vehemently, that if they’re referring to RIILE as a group that’s spewing hate … they’re absolutely wrong,” said Gorman. “That’s including a mistake made by Mr. Richardson — I don’t believe that to be hate speech either.”

Gorman said, “They can check anywhere they want to check, and prove to me that RIILE has ever spewed any hate to anyone. All we try to do is get the laws of the nation enforced, and support any new legislation that would help alleviate the tremendous illegal alien problem in Rhode Island.”

kziner@projo.com