Poop, bagged in plastic, is now the bizarre symbol of anti-LGBTQ+ mischief in Bell, California. Someone has been repeatedly tossing it at the Mi SELA Services LGBTQ+ center, and while the center has video evidence of the culprit, police are still refusing to classify it as vandalism. Bagged poop doesn’t count, apparently.
RELATED: MacKenzie Scott Donates $45M to the Trevor Project
If you’re thinking, “Wait, isn’t dog poop already gross enough without the bagged ‘art’?”—you’re not alone. But according to Bell’s finest, because it’s bagged, it’s not technically vandalism. Yes, really. A bag of dog poop = no crime, even though it’s being thrown at a place that supports the LGBTQ+ community.
RELATED: San Antonio’s Crosswalk Fight Ends With a Bigger, Bolder Statement
But Wait—It Gets Better
Police Chief Damian Velasco took to the airwaves to explain that while the video shows the suspect in action, they can’t confirm that the center was specifically targeted for being LGBTQ+—and therefore, it doesn’t fit the legal definition of a hate crime. He added, “We’ve been in touch with the District Attorney’s office,” as if that somehow makes everything okay. “There’s nothing to suggest that this business was specifically targeted because of its affiliation with the LGBTQ community.”
@somoslea Our official statement on the (still) ongoing dog poop bag acts of vandalism at our Mi SELA location in the City of Bell. #somoslea @Eddie Martinez
Okay, Chief Velasco, we get it: legally, there’s no clear-cut smoking gun. But let’s be real. Who throws bagged dog poop at a community center for no reason? If that’s not a hint of homophobic intent, we don’t know what is.
Dr. Wilma Franco: “Yeah, But Seriously, This Is F’d Up”
Dr. Wilma Franco, the center’s executive director, wasn’t exactly thrilled with the police’s take on the situation. “We understand, right? What the chief is saying in terms of based on the law, it is not (vandalism) because we don’t have other evidence that would suggest that. However, sometimes we have to revisit laws,” she said, practically rolling her eyes as she acknowledged the legal loophole that’s protecting poop-flinging art.
We’re all for respecting the law, but let’s not kid ourselves. Someone is targeting this center, and it’s a little suspicious that this poop-related artwork is only landing on an LGBTQ+ establishment.
Hate Crime? Or Just Homophobia with a Side of Poop?
The police aren’t calling it a hate crime yet, but they’re looking into it. Because who doesn’t want to know if a guy with a bag of dog poop is secretly the neighborhood’s biggest homophobe?
The mystery suspect’s name hasn’t been released yet, but he’s now infamous for being the person that threw bagged poop at a place where LGBTQ+ folks find support. Sure, that’s not exactly on-brand for someone you’d invite over for tea, but hey—maybe we’ll find out more soon. Fingers crossed this investigation doesn’t get bogged down by any more bagged poop.
Source: NBC Los Angeles