<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589226208948.png" alt="Mayor Quinton Lucas prepares for a press conference in April-image courtesy city of KCMO" />
                        <figcaption>Mayor Quinton Lucas prepares for a press conference in April-image courtesy city of KCMO</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Kansas City’s Black mayor said Monday that he was called a racist slur and told he should “swing from a tree” after he announced mandatory face masks in the Missouri city.</p><p>Mayor Quinton Lucas on Twitter shared a screenshot of the texts, which came after he announced Friday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d46319f474c58304165f2acca6a52ec9">masks will be required</a>&nbsp;in Kansas City when 6 feet of separation isn’t feasible.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A downside to giving your cell number to everyone. <a href="https://t.co/PIMntQWV9A">https://t.co/PIMntQWV9A</a></p>&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1277630049110425603?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>“You walked with RIOTERS not wearing a mask idiot,” a text read, according to a screenshot Lucas shared. “You should swing from a tree, I’m not threatening it, but would love to see it.”</p><p>Lucas has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/14cdff4bf0ef25bc81ddac12edd0bc65">joined in Kansas City protests</a>&nbsp;sparked by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a55d2662f200ead0da4fed9e923b60a7">the death of George Floyd</a>&nbsp;and other Black people at the hands of police. Floyd died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly eight minutes as the handcuffed man pleaded for air.</p><p>Lucas did not share the name or number of the person who allegedly sent the texts, which included a racist slur and obscene language describing the Black mayor.</p><p>In a tweet about the texts, Lucas wrote, “let’s do better.”</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Wearing a mask or face covering can be uncomfortable, but this is a necessary step to ensure we can save lives and keep our economy open. We wear masks to protect our loved ones, those around us, and their loved ones.<br><br>Mayor Lucas’s updated Order goes into effect on Monday. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KCMO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KCMO</a> <a href="https://t.co/Cnf96dB9fY">pic.twitter.com/Cnf96dB9fY</a></p>&mdash; Mayor Quinton Lucas (@MayorLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MayorLucasKC/status/1276623543120297985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Masks as of Monday are required in Kansas City. The mandate will remain in place until at least July 12.</p><p>It’s unclear if police are investigating the texts to the mayor as a threat. An Associated Press request for comment to a Kansas City police spokesman wasn’t immediately returned Monday.</p>

Kansas City mayor called racist slur after requiring masks