The Santa Monica Police Department defended its decision not to call an attack on a Jewish couple, in which a man was captured on video displaying a bat and chasing after them with a dog, a hate crime.
“The fact that the filed charges do not include a hate crime enhancement does not mean the reported language or conduct was acceptable, nor does it diminish the impact on the victims or the broader community,” the Greater Los Angeles area department said on Thursday.
“Criminal threats remain a serious charge and reflect the threatening conduct reported during the incident,” it said.
“Hate has no place in Santa Monica,” stated Darrick Jacob, the police chief. “We understand the fear and harm these incidents can create, not only for the victims, but for the broader community.”
“Our responsibility is to respond quickly, document the facts thoroughly, and pursue accountability through the legal process,” he added.
The police department said that it “understands the concern this incident caused, particularly among members of the Jewish community and others who viewed the video or heard reports about the incident.”
Police said that officers arrested Nay Min Tar, 49, of Illinois, for allegedly threatening and attacking the couple on May 24 at about 5:20 p.m.
“The preliminary investigation indicates Tar was driving on Broadway when he stopped in traffic and began yelling threats at two people crossing the street,” the department stated. “Tar then exited the vehicle and chased one of the victims while continuing to make threats. During the incident, Tar’s dog, described as a Cane Corso, chased the victim and bit him on the thigh.”
According to the American Kennel Club, that breed is “a peerless protector,” whose “lineage goes back to ancient Roman times, and the breed’s name roughly translates from the Latin as ‘bodyguard dog.’”
The local fire department treated the victim for “a minor injury related to the dog bite,” and animal control sent the dog to a local shelter, where it is being quarantined, the police department said.
“Witnesses reported offensive and threatening language during the incident,” the police department said, and it “documented those statements as part of the investigation. Detectives reviewed the available evidence, including witness statements and video evidence.”
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed a count of criminal threats and one of battery, it said. Police had previously said that the man was being charged with assault with a dangerous weapon.
Mark Goldfeder, director of the National Jewish Advocacy Center, previously told JNS that it is “unbelievable” that the Santa Monica Police Department did not immediately classify an incident, in which the man allegedly displayed a bat, chased the Jewish couple and called them “genocidal,” as a hate crime.
“When someone attacks innocent Jewish pedestrians while screaming Israel-related collective-guilt accusations, that is not just ‘political speech,’” he said. “It is evidence of motive.”
“The bat, the chase, the threats and the dog are the crime,” he told JNS. “The words explain why he picked them as his target.”
