NAACP Office in California Under Attack From Rocks and Hostile Phone Calls

If anything can be learned from last weekend Aug. 28-29 following the conclusion of the rally held in Washington, D.C., by Glenn Beck and supporters of the Tea Party movement, it is that intolerance for other cultures and ethnicity’s may be on the increase across America.  In Hayward, Calif., there have been recent occurrences of rocks being thrown through the windows of the local chapter of the NAACP on Sundays.
 Located in the East Bay area of Alameda County, Hayward has a population of approximately 150,000, 11 percent of which is African American. According to NAACP chapter President Freddye Davis, the damage was very severe and she and the organization are taking the occurrence “very seriously.”  Davis said the first time it happened, she thought it may have been kids messing around.  But when it happened again the following week she became worried, scared and apprehensive.

Police spokesman Lt. Roger Keener noted that a branch office of the NAACP at 1218 B St. was hit by pellet rounds on Aug. 22 and by rocks this on Sunday, Aug. 29. Although the building was empty at the time of the incidents and no one was injured, Keener said police are investigating whether the crimes are related and whether they are connected to phone calls that Davis received from people who “expressed displeasure at their perception of the NAACP’s views” on current political issues.

Authorities also indicated that there is no specific evidence to indicate that the broken windows are hate crimes instead of simple vandalism, since the calls made did not threaten violence. Davis has notified other state and the national NAACP offices since the phone calls criticized NAACP activities and their views on issues ranging from gay marriage to the Tea Party.