Muslim Security Guard in California Claims Her Car was Vandalized in Alleged Hate Crime
- The woman who works as a security guard at a hospital in San Rafael says her car was thrashed and vandalized with pig's feet and bacon strewn on the driver's seat.
A Muslim woman who works as a security guard at a hospital in San Rafael, California, says she’s a victim of an alleged hate crime, Fox News affiliate KYVU reported. She said her car was thrashed and vandalized with pig’s feet and bacon strewn on the driver’s seat.
The woman, who identified herself as Reshmika, was employed with Securitas Security for the past six months and assigned to Kaiser Medical Facility. “I don’t think I will ever be able to use that car again,” she told KTVU. She said she always parks on Monticello Street, in front of the hospital.
The incident happened when Reshmika was on an overnight shift three weeks ago. She found her Honda Accord with a shattered driver’s side window, all four tires slashed, and the finish ruined by paint, thinner and glue. And pig’s feet and bacon were strewn on the driver’s seat. As a Muslim that was most offensive to Reshmika. “We do not eat pig products, we do not eat bacon,” she told KTVU. “So it’s offensive because of my religion and it’s frightening this happened to me at my workplace while I was at work.”
Reshmika told KTVU that she believes she was targeted after accusing her supervisor of misconduct in February. “I’m the kind of person, if I see something wrong, I will say something,” she said. She says she made the complaint after hearing the man make sexually degrading remarks about a 14-year-old autistic girl who was in the Emergency Room.
Meanwhile, Securitas has suspended her because she violated company confidentiality by talking about the now-closed internal investigation.
Her car has been repaired, but Reshmika told KYVU she remains nervous. “I’m worried about my safety and I’m also worried about the safety of my family members who are listed in my employee file.” Reflecting on the incident and her suspension, she said: “I feel like everyone is looking out for themselves, but me,” said Reshmika, outside the hospital. “I am the one who stood up for this patient and I’m the one who said something.”
The police are currently investigating the incident. A hate crime is defined as a crime, typically involving violence, that is motivated by prejudice on the basis of race, religion, sexual orientation, or other grounds.