The San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office is looking into a potential hate crime for a man who confronted a pro-Palestinian protester in San Bruno, Deputy District Attorney Sean Gallagher said, although the office is still determining whether the incident was one of mutual altercation and if charges will be filed.
On May 2, the suspect allegedly parked adjacent to where a rally for Palestine and vigil for lives lost in Gaza was being held outside of San Bruno City Hall and then began pulling flags out of the center median. An alleged escalation from verbal confrontation between the pro-Palestinian protester and suspect to physical violence is still being looked at by the DA’s Office, which received the case May 20, Gallagher said.
But the categorization of the altercation as potentially mutual assault — as well as the fact that the suspect was not arrested on-site — has drawn frustration from community members, who say the May 2 incident was a clear and intentional attack against a pro-Palestinian protester.
San Bruno residents have been peacefully hosting rallies for a cease-fire for the past four months, they said at a May 14 City Council meeting.
“Two weeks ago, a community member was met with intentional violence by meeting him in the middle of El Camino and nearly killing him by pushing him into oncoming traffic, calling him an f—ing Arab and a terrorist,” a San Bruno resident who identified himself as Wesam D., said at a May 14 City Council meeting. “The city’s police in action continue to enable this violence.”
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San Bruno Police Chief Ryan Johansen acknowledged those frustrations, but said a thorough report had been taken and the case was referred to the DA’s Office.
“I can totally appreciate that if I were with the group that was out there that was attacked in this case, I would feel that no action was taken because the fact is that no one was taken away in handcuffs, and I think that was the expectation,” he said. “Quite honestly, in my initial review of the case, that was my expectation as well.”
Johansen reviewed body camera footage from responding officers, as well as statements from both sides and witnesses, and said he believed responding officers had taken the right action. Police reports had been filed regarding both involved parties, Gallagher said.
“It was unequivocally, and is continuing to be, investigated as a potential hate crime,” Johnson said.
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