By Hannah Saunders
On December 29, the man pictured was going door-to-door knocking on home-based Somali daycares in two South Seattle neighborhoods to investigate alleged fraud, a source told TtS. Since, these incidents have been escalated to the state’s Attorney General.
Seattle Police were called with hopes of getting the man to leave the area, but couldn’t do much since the man hadn’t committed a crime, the source said.
Attorney General Nick Brown received complaints from several Somali community members expressing concern, he stated on December 30.
“Showing up to someone’s porch, threatening, or harassing them isn’t an investigation. Neither is filming minors who may be in the home. This is unsafe and potentially dangerous behavior ” Brown said.
Brown added how his office is in touch with the Department of Children, Youth, and Families about the harassment and “claims being pushed online.”
These incidents in Seattle occur just days after Trump sent federal agents to Minnesota to investigate alleged fraud at Somali-run daycares, according to PBS, escalating his attacks on the Somali community. On December 2, Trump said Somalis “contribute nothing” and that he didn’t want them in the country, and Washington residents are feeling the effects of this hateful rhetoric.
People who experience this type of situation in the future are encouraged to call 911 or the AG’s Hate Crimes and Bias Incident Hotline at 1-855-225-1010.
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