The Alameda County District Attorney's office has charged a 64-year-old man with hate crime vandalism alleged to have happened in the lobby of a senior housing facility.
Ayman Badr was charged with one count of vandalism under $400 and another of "violation of civil rights," according to Patti Lee, a spokesperson for Alameda County DA Pamela Price.
Shortly before Lee confirmed the charges, Emeryville Police Department Sergeant Andrew Cassianos of the criminal investigative section stated to the Bay Area Reporter that the DA's office was reviewing the case.
Badr is not in custody, according to the Alameda County Sheriff's office's inmate locator; his arraignment is set for September 8 at 9 a.m. in front of Judge Sharon Djemal in Department 108 at the Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse in downtown Oakland.
The Alameda County Public Defender's office stated to the B.A.R. that it is not presently representing Badr. He could not be reached for comment.
"With regards to the investigation you are referencing, there was no arrest made," Cassianos stated. "The Emeryville Police Department responded to a call for service and conducted an investigation. Once our investigation was complete, the case was forwarded to the Alameda County DA's office for review. That is where the case is now, with the DA's office pending review."
More information was provided by Emeryville Police Service Manager Dutchess Z. Booze, which stated the incident — the date for which was not given — was first reported June 22 at the Avalon Senior Housing on San Pablo Avenue.
The facility did not return a request for comment.
A neighbor, believed to be Badr, "became verbally aggressive" toward a woman who put up flyers for the Juneteenth holiday, leaving her "afraid," according to the computer-aided dispatch, or CAD, call narrative search report, which Booze sent to the B.A.R.
Subsequently, the CAD report states, "the victim, who's part of a housing committee, placed pro-LBGTQ+ Pride posters in the lobby on behalf of the committee. Without provocation, an aggressive suspect verbally attacked the victim while going on an anti-gay tirade (hate speech). The suspect was interviewed and admitted to ripping down the posters. The theft of the posters was also captured on [closed-circuit television]. The victim indicated she fears for her safety due to the suspect's threatening behavior, and she will be seeking a stay-away order."
It is unclear if the housing committee was at Avalon Senior Housing.
Emeryville Mayor John J. Bauters, a gay man, told the B.A.R. that the resident "contacted the police when this happened, they did a report, and the police department did a good job gathering evidence and submitting it to the DA."
The State of California offers help for victims or witnesses to a hate crime or hate incident. This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.
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