CASTRO VALLEY, Calif. — A Muslim man who videotaped a Castro Valley woman ranting and throwing coffee at him earlier this month at Lake Chabot expressed relief Thursday that misdemeanor charges, including a hate crime, were filed in the case.
“This is the first step toward justice,” Rasheed Albeshari said after learning that two misdemeanor charges of battery on park property and violation of civil rights — the latter considered a hate crime — were filed against Denise A. Slader.
A hearing for Slader, 50, is scheduled for Jan. 7 in Alameda County Superior Court in Hayward.
The charges stem from a confrontation Dec. 6 that Slader had with Albeshari in Chabot Regional Park, where she was caught on a cellphone video ranting anti-Muslim sentiments and throwing coffee in his face. He had just finished praying with some friends at the park.
“I, indeed, feel relieved that the justice system, and my government alongside my fellow American citizens, are standing for justice,” Albeshari said.
Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley said, “We take very seriously conduct that infringes upon our citizens’ right to be free of violence and hatred. Ms. Slader’s actions must be addressed within the criminal justice system.”
In the video Albeshari took of the encounter, a woman identified as Slader can be seen berating somebody holding a camera. Albeshari said he was in the park with friends and had finished praying when Slader started ranting at him. He said he started recording it soon after she began.
“The people you tortured, they’re going to spend eternity in Heaven,” the woman says in the video. “You are very deceived by Satan. Your mind has been taken over — brainwashed — and you have nothing but hate. Nothing but hate.”
Slader, 50, has worked for 10 years as a program technician in the adult parole operations division for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
On Thursday, corrections officials would not comment on Slader’s job status.
“We expect all of our employees to treat everyone with dignity and respect both on and off the job,” department spokesman Jeffrey Callison said, adding that an internal investigation remains ongoing. “We cannot comment on the specifics of that (internal) investigation; however, discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated.”
The decision to charge Slader was supported by the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
“We commend law enforcement’s thorough investigation and swift action following this incident,” said Brice Hamack, a spokesman for the council. “With the recent unprecedented rise in hate attacks targeting Muslims across the nation, this sends the message that hate crimes will not be tolerated in the Bay Area.”
East Bay Regional Park District police investigated the incident.
“The parks are very diverse places,” parks spokeswoman Carolyn Jones said. “People come to the parks for all kinds of reasons. Everyone deserves to enjoy these parks in peace. This is a very rare incident fortunately and we are confident the district attorney will handle it appropriately.”
Albeshari said he has been grateful for the response from friends and other members of the community since the incident came to light. The verbal attack came less than a week after two Islamic extremists killed 14 people during a shooting rampage in San Bernardino.
“People have shown support not only from the United States,” he said. “People have been supportive from Brazil to Malaysia to India.”
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