Jeanne Umana, the Santa Barbara woman who went viral on social media for harassing a Latino construction worker, could now be charged with a hate crime, trespassing, and battery.
After videos showing Umana using racially derogatory language toward a construction worker went viral on social media, hundreds showed up in a demonstration Sunday night outside her residence near Garden and Micheltorena streets to call for her arrest.
The videos — which were shared by Los Angeles–based activist Edin Enamorado — showed Umana entering the property to confront the worker; walking around inside the residence without permission; claiming she works “for the police”; and hitting the construction worker twice when asked to leave the property. At one point, Umana tells the worker: “I live here. I am American. You’re a Tijuanan.”
Following the demonstration on Sunday, the Santa Barbara Police Department (SBPD) opened up an investigation into the incident, and on Wednesday afternoon, police spokesperson Sgt. Ethan Ragsdale released a statement saying that SBPD detectives have now referred the case to the Santa Barbara District Attorney’s Office for consideration of a number of charges against Umana, including “trespassing, battery on a person, and hate crime.”
Ragsdale did not mention any charges stemming from Umana saying she worked for police, though on Monday the police department did acknowledge her claim, saying in a press release that Umana “has no affiliation with the Santa Barbara Police Department, and the police department does not condone her behavior.”