A black Virginia woman claims that her neighbor is playing a monkey bark and a racial slur on speakers to curse her family from inside the house, but authorities can do little about it. they said.
Woman Janique Martinez says her family and other neighbors have been harassed in the neighborhood of Virginia Beach for over a year. NBC series WAVY Norfolk report.
“Whenever we leave home, the monkey barks begin. It’s very racist and disgusting …. I don’t even know how to explain it elsewhere,” Martinez says. I did.
NBC News was unable to contact her immediately for comment on Thursday.
City officials have described the alleged actions of their neighbors as “aggressive” but not criminal.
Neighbor Martinez said he also monitors family movements with flashing lights that appear to be connected to multiple home cameras and sensors.
Martinez told WAVY that allegations of neighbor harassment escalated to monkey barks and racial adjectives after reporting him in loud music.
“He learned that one morning we called the police to turn down the music, and it didn’t stop at N-word,” Martinez said. “My son is afraid of him. I am afraid!”
Virginia Beach police did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment on Thursday.
Police released a statement on Wednesday describing the behavior of their neighbors as “horrifying,” “aggressive,” and “unpleasant.”
However, the statement said there was little police could do. “City lawyers and Virginia security judges have separately determined that the actions reported so far have not risen to the level that Virginia law defines as criminal activity,” he said. “This means that you are not authorized to intervene in VBPD and the warrants are not supported.”
A WAVY reporter knocked on the front door and tried to talk to his neighbor, but no one answered.
Martinez told the station that he was indignant after trying to find a solution in criminal and civil courts. She said the system did not protect her family and authorities told her that her neighbors had not assaulted or threatened her family.
“I did what I could to do it the right way,” she said. “I spent 11 years in the army. My husband is also a veterinarian. We fought for this country, but no one still fights for us.”