Essex County prosecutors are asking for the public’s help to solve two bias incidents that occurred last week in West Orange — at two different businesses situated side-by-side.
“Could’ve been anybody riding by and just — got triggered,” said Garan Dickson, who figures his Pride flags enraged somebody. But Dickson has no idea who trashed his cafe’s entryway last Wednesday night, smashing the door, smearing black paint all over the Harper’s Cafe facade and defacing Pride flags he’d just hung up. Then someone hurled a brick through the West Orange cafe’s window the next evening. Police are still looking for suspects.
“As for me — I am scared. I’m not going to say that I’m not. Because I’m here, exposing myself,” Ambar Jimenez said. She owns the photo studio right next door to Harper’s Cafe. She said a woman called anonymously last Thursday from an unidentified number and asked her if she wears braids because she’s Black. Jimenez answered, no — she’s Dominican. “She said, why — if you are not Black — are you wearing braids? … that I was ignorant, that I didn’t know the history behind it, that we were appropriating their culture…” Jimenez said the woman threatened, “…because of your answer, we are going to do something to your business.”
“The caller told her that she should move to another neighborhood — threatening to harm her business,” Essex County’s acting prosecutor Theodore Stephens II said. Prosecutors are investigating both incidents, and Stephens left no doubt — they rise above simple malice. But investigators say they need help.
“You can do it anonymously, but we need the public’s help in combatting this hatred,” said Chief Assistant Prosecutor Roger Imhof. Investigators will check surveillance cameras — there’s one visible exterior camera on the building. But Dickson said drapes he had drawn behind the front windows might’ve impeded the view of cameras inside his cafe.
“A lot of times, these cases happen under cover of night — darkness — videos don’t pick up everything that can be observed,” Imhof noted. “So if somebody’s driving by and they see something or they hear something or know something – reach out to the tipline.”
Anyone who believes they have been discriminated against or harassed when attempting to vote can contact the state Division on Civil Rights through its website or by calling 1-800-277-BIAS.
