A black noose was found on the front door of the Santa Ana chapter of gay-rights organization Equality California on Thursday in what some are calling a hate crime against supporters of gay marriage.
Employee Mel Distel was on her way to work at around 6 p.m. when she found the noose.
According to the Orange County Register, Distel called the police and now plans to file a formal complaint on their response after she said police dismissed the noose, saying, "Sometimes, you just have to live with being the victim."
Distel said finding the noose "was shocking," Distel told the Orange County Register. "It struck me as something that could escalate, something that was definitely meant to be hurtful."
"The dismissive and deeply offensive conduct of the police officer who responded to this incident is nothing short of appalling and sends the message that LGBT community members cannot rely on the police for protection against the kind of hatred and prejudice that can lead to violence," said Equality California director Geoff Kors in a statement.
Santa Ana Police are denying any negligence, telling the Register that they are treating the case as a possible terrorist threat and it has been assigned to investigators.
Volunteers were working in the office Thursday evening to make calls for Assembly candidate Melissa Fox's campaign. Fox, a gay marriage supporter, said in a statement that the noose was a "despicable and hateful act, clearly intended to threaten and intimidate Equality California and other supporters of marriage equality."
The Orange County and Long Beach chapter of the Anti-Defamation League also condemned the noose and alleged police dismissal.
"Our community and its policing agencies must treat such incidents seriously, and send a strong message that such attempts to intimidate an entire community will not be tolerated," said ADL Regional Director Kevin O'Grady. "Law enforcement should make every effort to …send a clear message that they will protect the gay and lesbian community."
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Santa Ana police are now treating the incident as a hate crime.
