Racist note attempting to close business backfires

A hate letter demanding a new business be closed because of the colour of the owner’s skin has backfired – instead creating a wave of support from the community.

The owners of the new gaming lounge in Indianapolis were surprised to find the note shoved through the mail slot earlier this week.

“Close shop. We don’t support black business owners,” the note read.

But co-owers Tony Jones and Sami Ali said they weren’t threatened by the letter.

“It doesn’t hurt. It doesn’t hurt us at all,” Mr Jones told local news station WTHR.

“The way it affects us, it motivates us to reach out and do what we had been doing to bring people together.”

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The author of the hate mail has incited a backlash in the community, who are now banding together to support the upcoming business.

One resident said she was “shocked” at the letter, saying the town of Irvington is normally “accepting”.

Another woman erected a sign in her garden welcoming everyone to the neighbourhood – except the person responsible for the note.

“You are not welcome. Your thoughts are not welcome,” she told WTHR. “You need to find somewhere else to be. This is not where you belong.”

Mr Jones and Mr Ali, who plan to open Level UP Gaming Lounge in September, described the letter as a “blessing”.

“We went from hate to everybody loving us, so it’s awesome,” he said.