"This fucking Hindu is going to call the cops on you" and a threat to chop my legs off

I called Eureka Police Department around 8:30 p.m. EPD Officer Abraham Jansen responded fairly quickly, he checked the area and spoke with me. I have an incident number. Thank you to EPD dispatch and our officers.

Around 8:30 p.m. I walked over to the corner to put some recycling in a bin. As I was walking to the corner of 2nd and H, I turned around and saw someone near my home and a neighboring office.  Blond hair, bedraggled,light blue jacket.  We have had vandalism and break ins the area. The guy turned around and saw me and disappeared into an alley. I had seen him near the bench on 2nd and H just a few minutes ago. A problem spot, especially at night and on weekends. These regulars know the Old Town officer's schedule and plan around it.

There was a guy sitting on the park bench on 2nd and H. Bald, orange jacket, blue jeans, looked like he was in his 50s with a  backpack. He has been hanging out on this bench for the past two days.

Across the street in the parking lot (located behind Lotus Studio and Smugs and next to Redwood Energy) there were two guys digging through the trash and recycling bins. A daily occurence at night and early morning.

The guy in the orange jacket was drinking; had an open container in his hand. He asked me why I wanted to know about the guy in the blue jacket, I told him why, calmly. The conversation up to this point was fine. The guy then told me "he was here from Redding and there are fires in Old Town." I didnt know what that had to do with anything and turned around to head home.

Then he just starts off yelling, " it is none of my business about what the guy with the blue jacket is doing" and "who do I think I am?" I told him the safety of my home and my neighbors is my business and if I see something suspicious, I will check it out.

He asks me if I am going to call the "cops." I said if there was a reason to, I would.

He starts yelling at me,"Who do you think you are? I have been here for years and I have never seen you." He turns to the two guys and says, "This fucking Hindu is going to call the cops on you." I never said I would call the police on them but now they turn around and start to walk towards the bench.

The guy with the orange jacket tells me, "I am going to chop your legs off" and makes a move toward me. I respond, "Are you threatening me?" I tell him, I am going to call EPD if  he takes one more step towards me.

I start dialing and walk fast towards my home. They throw some shit at my house and then leave. I did not know they left at the time I was on the phone and they were still near my home. Nothing EPD could do but document because the guys left and I was not physically injured.

Recently since the City of Eureka cleaned up the parking lot on Second street, it has been nice. Less foot traffic by the troublemakers, the bench is being used by others than groups of drunk or high troublemakers who use that as a "casing " spot or to harass people.

The homeless are not the problem; there are a few troublemakers among them who regularly create problems. Some of these people may not be homeless but cant drink or get high where they live. These frequent troublemakers are getting more and more belligerent.

There have been several incidents, but only two or three  incidents when I called the police.  One was with a guy in a red and black jacket with a dog and groupies who also threatened and yelled profanities. They seemed sober. Another guy who called me "fucking asshole" when he was screaming at 4 a.m.  outside my  porch with his trash all over the driveway. He woke me up and then was pissed that I startled him by opening the door. He was rattling the door knob.

In both instances, they saw me call the police and left by the time the police got there. Even with a quick response, it is difficult to catch them in action. They know the law, they break it all the time. These troublemakers are bullies. They expect to get their way. They can intimidate most people. Most people wont press charges or document. We need to, if we want the City of Eureka or County to listen and take action.

Venting on Facebook does nothing. EPD is overwhelmed. These types of encounters and criminal activity like theft and vandalism would not happen if these troublemakers were held accountable. They hang around because they can. They hang around because in Humboldt they are emboldened to get away with it by certain special interests.

Prop 47 and 57 is not going away soon. Who do you think vandalizes businesses at night and early am? Got to get that fix. Got to get enough money to go buy more booze at the convenient store.

I am not the only person in Eureka going through this and am sharing it because others are frustrated as well. What makes incidents like this more frightening for me is that with my name and my photo being public, I am an easy target. Other reporters whose names and faces are public have encountered similar situations.

The nearest place for safety was my home. Now this scum knows where I live. I walk a lot and in the very area these guys "hang out."

Old Town and Downtown is the new Palco Marsh.  Two of the guys who threatened me as well as several people I see often in court and out on probation do nothing but loiter,case potential targets and disrupt. Some  got probation so they could get into housing. Yet, they would prefer to hang out with their "friends" boozing it u and getting high whether they have housing or not.

Enablers who tolerate and make excuses for these troublemakers are the problem.  Career activists who sue city ordinances are the problem. Landlords and businesses that dont bother to lock their dumpsters are the problem. Landlords and businesses that dont get involved and don't watch out for their tenants and neighborhoods are the problem. People who have power and money to put pressure on local and state politicians to bring change to laws and do not hold their fellow errant landlords and businesses accountable are the problem. As long as it is not in your neighborhood, just take another vacation out of Humboldt, sip another cocktail at your favorite watering hole, surrounded by sycophants telling you what you want to hear.

Abandoned storefronts, lack of jobs and lack of affordable housing impact public safety. Same story for decades in Humbodt because those with the money and power prefer the status quo.

Elections are coming up in November. Lot of interest in council seats in Eureka.

Candidates who stand up for the people are resonating with voters. Time for candidates and their local funders to start paying attention to who the public and voters are listening to; elections do have consequences and will directly on your pocketbook.

Dumping all this on EPD is not the solution.  Laws need to change, officers need to be protected from the rabid, regular shit stirring activists. The officers have serious crimes to deal with but they have become adult full time baby sitters.

The do nothing politicians and cocktail sippers need to address the issues they created by their inaction.

 Everyone wants to be liked in Humboldt and not tackle tough issues or hear the truth. But the same people have plenty to say privately and gossip. What do you expect in a County over run by drugs, the County being the biggest employer and many businesses being subsidized by grants?

Sad to see this County full of natural beauty and innovative local businesses and entrepreneurs struggle because those who have money have no vision for diverse and economic prosperity for the majority.