Man Charged With Hate Crime Arson Of CA Gay Bar

Monterrey’s ABC affiliate reports:

Santa Cruz police said they arrested a man believed to have set fire and who carved a homophobic slur at a newly opened LGBTQ+ pub.

45-year-old James Eason was arrested and booked into Santa Cruz County Jail for a hate crime, arson and vandalism. He was already in police custody for an unrelated crime, said police in a media release.

Eason is believed to have gone up to The Neighbors Pub on the morning of Dec. 10. He allegedly carved a homophobic slur into the glass front doors. Evidence that he tried to set the building on fire was also collected, per police.

Read the full article. The bar opened last weekend. I’ll follow up on this story when more is known.

Man arrested for hate crime that targeted LGBTQ+ pub in Downtown Santa Cruz | Click on the image to read the full story https://t.co/NpCxymrQtx

— KSBW Action News 8 (@ksbw) December 13, 2024

In a statement, Santa Cruz Police said, “The department is investigating this case as a hate crime. Investigators are actively retrieving and reviewing CCTV footage. The investigation is ongoing.”https://t.co/jFovjS3xuy

— Paul Dudley (@PaulDudleyKSBW) December 13, 2024