An Iowa woman faces several hate crimes and a slew of other charges for allegedly vandalizing Latin restaurants with swastikas and calling in a bomb threat to a community college. Muscatine Mayor Brad Bark condemned the actions on a Facebook post that showed photos of the graffiti. The photos showed several swastikas drawn on the Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant and Jibaro Restaurant, which serves food from the U.
Both restaurants on Facebook thanked the community for their support. Staats alleged spree did not stop at the restaurants. Authorities were able to trace the phone number to Staats, who allegedly admitted she made the bomb threat, according to court documents.
She also allegedly vandalized the college on Sunday with swastikas and racist remarks. The community college had to temporarily stop classes while police investigated, according to court documents.
Staats is facing one count of second-degree criminal mischief, one count of fourth-degree criminal mischief as a hate crime, seven counts of fifth-degree criminal mischief as a hate crime, two counts of fifth-degree mischief, one count of first-degree harassment, one count of ongoing criminal conduct and one count of threat of terrorism.
Reach him at jmendiola dmreg. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Muscatine woman faces hate crimes for swastikas on Latin restaurants.
