SAN LEANDRO, Calif. (AP) -- A woman was arrested on suspicion of posting handwritten messages at several Bay Area homes, targeting Asian Americans and suggesting that those not native to the United States should leave the country immediately.
Police in San Leandro said officers were called to a neighborhood Friday evening after the notes were found taped to five homes. A doorbell security camera captured a woman taping a note to someone's front door, and police soon found the suspect in the neighborhood.
In a Facebook post regarding the case, San Leandro police said officers “investigated a similar incident on Thursday evening when a related note was found on the Heron Bay trail, affixed to an information board. That note partially read, ‘no Asians allowed, leave immediately.’ That post was quickly removed by a good samaritan and discarded. It is presumed that Arechiga is also responsible for that posting.”
Police said Nancy Arechiga was arrested on suspicion of committing a hate crime "that instilled fear and intimidation" upon residents.
According to police, “Arechiga was soon located near the community while officers were still in the area. Arechiga was carrying a backpack that contained handwritten notes of the same nature.”
Arechiga was cited and released due to the state’s current bail policy, police said.
San Leandro police Lt. Isaac Benabou said, "San Leandro is a community of beautifully diverse people, who share a common desire to live in harmony, and free from intimidation. We welcome people's rights to express themselves, but not in a manner that infringes upon a community's sense of security and wellbeing."
