Protest Held Outside Apartment Complex After Viral Video

By an edhat reader

A video went viral showing a local woman making racist comments towards a construction worker, prompting a protest outside a downtown Santa Barbara apartment complex.

On Sunday around 8:00 p.m., a large group of people gathered outside the corner of E. Micheltorena and Garden Streets showing solidarity for the construction worker.

Over the weekend, a video was posted online showing an older white woman confonting a man working on a nearby property. The video, which has since been taken down but was seen by edhat staff, shows the woman getting confrontational with the man as he films their converstion.

She stated she’s a neighbor and has every right to know what’s happening at the nearby property. The conversation escalates as the woman states she’s an American followed by a racist comment about the worker’s ethnicity.

The video ends as the woman apparently hits the man or the camera out of the man’s hand.

KEYT reports the protestors were there to hold the woman accountable for her racist statement and actions.

The woman reportedly left the building during the protest and went to the police station.

During the gathering, the group walked to the front of the Santa Barbara Police Department and continued to express outrage over the video. After a short while, the group returned to the area of Garden and East Micheltorena Street and dispersed.

The Santa Barbara Police Department issued a statement before noon on Monday clarifying something said in the video.

“In the video, a woman stated, ‘I work for the police.’ The woman has no affiliation with the Santa Barbara Police Department and the police department does not condone her behavior,” the department stated.

The police department acknowledged the “troubling” video stirred emotions and reactions within the community.

“The Santa Barbara Police Department monitored the gathering and supports the right for all individuals to peacefully assemble in order to voice their concerns,” the department stated.

Videos of the interaction posted by @enamoradoalex are provided below: