A scarecrow with dreadlocks that was hung from a Brooklyn tree by a noose was removed Wednesday after a city councilman complained that it was racist.
The scarecrow, which was life-sized with reddish-colored feet and a Halloween mask, hung from a tree in front of a house on East Fifth Street in the Fort Hamilton section of Brooklyn.
City Councilman Charles Barron called for its removal, and hours later the NYPD arrived to take it down. The tree was on city property and officials did not need the homeowner's permission.
"This is racist," Barron said. "It's sick, it's not funny, it's not trick, or treat. It's madness."
Police took the dummy as evidence, but no charges are expected. It was not immediately clear who was responsible for hanging the dummy.
Martin Williams, whose son goes to school down the street, said he also found it extremely offensive.
"This is a very racist statement in the neighborhood," he said. "This is just outrageous."
Williams took off his hat and ran his hand over his hair, adding "look at it, it looks like my hair up there."
Another passerby said she didn't think the dummy was racist.
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"It's a Halloween mask and there's blood on the feet and hands ... I don't think that portrays lynching. It's Halloween," said Nicole Clemente.
Barron said it doesn't matter what race the dummy was supposed to be -- simply hanging a scarecrow is offensive.
"It doesn't matter what race it is -- white people weren't hung. Black people were hung in this nation. Lynching was for black people in this nation."
