An Antioch woman is receiving an outpouring of support after a viral video showed her neighbor harassing and taunting her with racial slurs, as the man faces charges in a separate incident and police investigate an explosive device thrown at his home.

The woman, who has asked not to be identified because she no longer feels safe in her own neighborhood, began recording after the man confronted her as she walked to her car last month, as NBC Bay Area reports. In the video, he repeatedly directs the N-word at her while waving his middle finger.

“In my area I’m the youngest African-American there … I bought my home as 35th birthday gift to myself … so why do I have to live like this?” she told the outlet. “Why do I have to live in fear of somewhere I own?”


The conflict between the two households had reportedly been building for months. The woman told NBC Bay Area that she and the man's family went to court in January over the number of cats at their home, which she says had resulted in cats getting into her yard and leaving feces behind.

She says the dispute continued after the court proceedings, eventually leading to the confrontation captured on video. Antioch police later arrested the man on suspicion of a civil rights violation and battery in a separate incident involving someone else, and the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office subsequently filed misdemeanor charges.

Mary Ann Ramirez, the man's mother, said her son has experienced behavioral problems since childhood and has had previous conflicts with neighbors. She told NBC Bay Area that police have been called to the home “many times to calm him down for me.”

An explosive device was reportedly thrown at the man's house after the video began spreading widely over the weekend, but no one was injured. Police are investigating the incident.

Legal analyst Steven Clark said the man's repeated conduct could carry additional consequences if it continues.

“If it continues, with hate speech … if you direct it at someone specifically because of their race is not protected under the First Amendment and that could lead to a criminal prosecution,” Clark said, speaking to NBC Bay Area.

As the video has continued circulating, people in the community have rallied around the woman. This week, a group of men on motorcycles escorted her home from work, after first giving her long-stemmed roses and hugs in videos captured by content creator Doll'Baby Shan via Bay Area TV.

A commenter on one of the videos said the men remained outside the woman's home for a period of time, while the neighbor, who reportedly lives in the garage, stayed inside.

Doll'Baby Shan also reported in the comments that the men have continued driving by the woman’s home throughout the day to ensure she’s safe.

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