Crime & Safety
Hate Crimes Suspected Against LGBTQ+ Businesses In Santa Rosa: Police
"No citizen, employee, or business owner should be targeted and harassed for living their authentic lives or supporting fellow citizens."
SANTA ROSA, CA — The Santa Rosa Police Department was notified Monday about several instances of local Santa Rosa businesses being the target of suspected hate crimes and hate speech, and has launched an investigation.
The businesses targeted were primarily in or near downtown, LGBTQ+ owned, or supporters of the LGBTQ+ community, police said in a Facebook post. Unknown people defaced private businesses with stickers promoting hateful rhetoric and used the stickers to cover up support for LGBTQ+ rights, Trans rights, and BLM, according to police.
One of the businesses targeted was Brew Coffee and Beer, which has locations in downtown Santa Rosa and Forestville.
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"Some Haters tried to cover all our windows with anti-LGBTQ+ posters in Santa Rosa," Brew wrote on Facebook. "This is a Hate Crime and we wanted to blast it to raise awareness. We are queer-owned business and Proudly represent inclusivity and safety. We face hate like this all year long and it is why it's important that Pride month happens and why we must stand together everyday to protect each other."
The fliers were also posted at Santa Rosa Junior College's main campus, The Press-Democrat reported.
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The Santa Rosa PD said it proactively reached out to the businesses and began investigating each instance.
"The Santa Rosa Police Department is committed to supporting all members of our community and will not tolerate hate crimes," police said in the Facebook post. "No citizen, employee, or business owner should be targeted and harassed for living their authentic lives or supporting their fellow citizens."
SRPD encourages anyone with surveillance footage of people defacing businesses to provide that information via www.srcity.org/CrimeTips and refer to case number 23-7118.
Police encourage any business targeted with the stickers to report the crime online at www.srcity.org/ReportACrime and refer to case number 23-7118. The reports help build a potential criminal case when a suspect is identified.
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