Fight over Santa Monica parking spot turns into what campus police call a hate crime
A fight over a parking space escalated Tuesday into an exchange of racial slurs and a physical altercation in what officials at Santa Monica College describe as a hate crime.
The dispute, which was captured on video by a college student, took place about 6:30 p.m. at a Santa Monica College Performing Arts Campus parking lot.
In the minute-long video posted on Facebook, an older white man is seen repeatedly yelling racial slurs at a younger African American woman.
The altercation escalated to kicks and shoves.
Warning: This video contains graphic language.
At one point during the video, the man tells the woman: “You don’t belong here, go back to South L.A.”
Bystanders can be heard in the background urging the woman to leave.
“He’s not worth your time,” a person tells the woman.
The video does not show the beginning of the confrontation. Santa Monica College Chief of Police Johnnie Adams said the dispute started over the woman’s parked car, which was taking up more than one parking spot.
“The woman was in the process of rectifying the situation when it escalated and turned into that physical altercation,” Adams said.
College police took 80-year-old Fredric Allan Shinerock into custody, according to a statement by the department.
Shinerock was cited with misdemeanor battery and released.
Due to repeated racial slurs and a derogatory statement made toward the woman, Santa Monica College officials classified the incident as a hate crime, Adams said.
”In totality we felt the elements of bias against that person was motivated in part by race,” he said.
The Santa Monica city attorney’s office will review the case and separately determine whether the incident can be labeled as a hate crime under California statutes.
Santa Monica College President Kathryn E. Jeffery said in a statement that school officials took immediate action to remind students and guests that “there is no room for hate.”
“Santa Monica College is an institution that prides itself on inclusivity and diversity,” Jeffery said in a statement.
“We will continue to do our utmost to uphold our commitment to provide a safe and inclusive learning environment.”
Shinerock did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Follow me on Twitter @melissaetehad
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