A 22-year-old man, Marcus Harper, has been charged with a hate crime and battery following an incident at a McDonald’s in Fremont, California. The incident occurred on April 5, when Harper allegedly approached a family of four, made a racist comment, and physically assaulted the mother.
According to the Fremont Police Department, Harper approached the family around 2:15 p.m. while they were dining. He reportedly took food from their table and ate it in front of them. After briefly leaving the table, Harper returned and allegedly slapped the mother in the face.
Following the assault, Harper is said to have made a racist remark, telling the family, “You Indians need to go back to your country.” He then reportedly threw a sauce packet at one of the children, a 9-year-old girl, before leaving the restaurant.
The police were able to obtain an arrest warrant for Harper and located him in his vehicle near Marshlands Road and Thornton Avenue the following day. He was taken into custody without any further incidents.
Local news outlet KRON reported that Harper did not deny his actions when questioned by the police. He claimed that the father of the family gave him a “weird feeling” and that he had blacked out during the alleged assault.
Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson condemned the incident in a statement to local Fox affiliate KTVU. She emphasized that hate crimes based on perceived national origin are unacceptable and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
As of Wednesday, Harper was being held at the Santa Rita Jail. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing issue of hate crimes in the United States, and the need for continued efforts to combat such behavior.