A man currently in police custody for one crime has been charged with another hate crime after allegedly attempting to set fire to an LGBTQ pub.
The Neighbor’s is a pub based in Santa Cruz. Website Described as an “LGBTQ+-centered, socially responsible restaurant and community space,” it recently held a soft opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in early December.
A few days after opening, the venue was almost set on fire by a masked person.
Owner Frankie Farr said: lookout santa cruz At first, they noticed black discoloration near the front door and thought it was graffiti. Further inspection revealed that the Americans with Disabilities Act door pushbutton had melted, a burnt napkin had been shoved inside the door frame, and a homophobic slur had been etched into the door glass. .
Farr thought someone had tried to start a fire.
After police arrived on the scene, they determined the fire was a hate incident, but arson has not yet been considered a hate crime. Police also found charred objects near the doorway and scorch marks on part of the wall of the enclave leading to the front door of the bar.
Police say a camera inside the car captured part of the incident. a still image frame Surveillance video obtained by lookout santa cruza man wearing a black hat and red mask is shown carrying what looks like a red wagon loaded with various materials.
Santa Cruz police later identified the suspect as 45-year-old James Eason and said they were able to identify him by comparing body camera footage from an unrelated arrest the week before. insisted. Eason was already in police custody in connection with another case, so I rebooked He was charged Dec. 13 with criminal damage to property, arson, and a hate crime.
Neighbors remains open four days a week during normal business hours.
Farr said. lookout santa cruz They were shocked that the space was targeted so quickly, but acknowledged the risks of starting a queer business, telling the newspaper that “there are obviously a lot of people who don’t want us to exist.” spoke.
“We were very lucky that no one was inside,” they said. “But there’s an apartment upstairs.” [the pub] And those residents don’t deserve this either. They could have been seriously injured. ”
Initial reports of the attempted arson drew condemnation from local leaders, as reported by the Salinas, Calif.-based NBC affiliate. KSBW.
“The people who did this have no place in our community,” said Santa Cruz Mayor Freed Keeley. “Politically it’s possible to have a different point of view, and that’s fine and we welcome it. If you start doing things like torching businesses, no. As far as I’m concerned, Santa Cruz There’s no place like it in any other community.”
Source: Metro Weekly – www.metroweekly.com
