The owner of a Mexican butcher shop in Santa Barbara, California says his store has been on the receiving end of a string of racially motivated acts of vandalism, the Santa Barbara Independent reports.
“I’ve been here for 30 years,” said Javier Lomeli, owner of Carniceria La Nueva, located on Haley Street. “I don’t know why — if they have something against me or Spanish-speaking people.”
Lomeli says a Caucasian “transient, about 50-60 years of age,” was trying to peel off decals on the store’s front window a little over a week ago. He says the same woman was later captured on security video attempting to remove the decals and shouting obscenities at the video camera and employees from the Mexican Restaurant next door.
Security video shows the woman shouting, “This is America, not Mexico,” and “You f—ing liars.” She then yells at the restaurant employees next door, saying, “You’re all foreign murderers.”
Then things escalated. Last Sunday, someone hurled an object at the storefront window, which shattered the glass.
“It’s not easy in the past couple years,” said Lomeli, who has had to take more time off recently after being diagnosed with cancer. “I’m just tired of this.”