Man caught on CCTV throwing dog poo at LGBTQ+ centre – but police won’t do anything about it
The individual was caught on CCTV (Latino Equality Alliance)
The individual was caught on CCTV (Latino Equality Alliance)
An LGBTQ+ centre has been the target of a man throwing bags of dog poo at the building for months, but local police say it’s a littering offence and not vandalism or a hate crime.
Since June, staff at Mi SELA LGBTQ+ – an LGBTQ+ youth centre has which is run by Latino Equality Alliance (LEA) in the city of Bell in Los Angeles County – have been having to climb ladders to remove dozens of bags of dog faeces from the building’s front awning.
First reported back in the summer, at that time the LGBTQ+ centre’s leadership described the faecal vandalism as “senseless harassment” that is “abhorrent” and “unacceptable”.
The poop-flinging vandal continued their campaign of abuse and as a result the centre invested a $2,500 grant from Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors member Janice Hahn into new CCTV cameras – which have now caught the individual in question brown-handed.
However, after alerting the police, the centre’s leadership was told the incidents do not meet the threshold for criminal prosecution for vandalism, with Bell Police Department chief Damien Velasco stating it is a “littering offence” and citation could only be written if “a police officer was present and witnessed the littering”.
“I think everybody needs to know that we’ve been in touch with the District Attorney’s office,” Velasco also said.
“Everyone’s on the same page that at this point, there’s nothing to suggest that this business was specifically targeted because of its affiliation with the LGBTQ community.”
Despite this stance, Hahn’s office wants the police to investigate the matter as a hate crime, with spokesperson Matthew Johnson saying: “We cannot allow incidents like this to be normalised. It is hateful, it is disgusting, and it must stop.”
In a press statement issued on Wednesday (14 January), Eddie Martinez, executive director at the centre, said whilst they are “deeply saddened by the targeted vandalism” they will “refuse to let hate define our community”.
“Despite the current legal limitations to holding these actions accountable, the Latino Equality Alliance remains rooted in our core values of compassion and restorative justice.
“We are reclaiming our space not just by cleaning our facility but by inviting the individual responsible to step forward, offer an apology and engage in a dialogue for healing.”
Martinez added they want to “transform this moment of hostility” into an opportunity for education and partnership.
