White Man Harasses Latino Woman for Wearing a Puerto Rico Shirt: “We Don’t Own Puerto Rico. Are You Educated?”

Something must be in the water because these racists are just popping up from the woodworks. The most recent bigot tried to tell a woman she was “un-American” because she was wearing a Puerto Rico shirt.

On June 14, Mia Irizarry was setting up a picnic to celebrate her 24th birthday in a Cook County Park in Illinois when a white man began harassing her because she had on a shirt with the Puerto Rico flag, and “Puerto Rico” written on the front. As the man continued to harass her, she started to record his behavior. in the video she mentions she rented the park space and had permit allowing her to be there.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

“You should not be wearing that in the United States of America,” the man shouts, adding, “Are you a citizen? Are you a United States citizen?” Irizarry responds saying she is wearing the shirt “because I can” and then explains to the ignorant man that Puerto Rico is a part of the United States. “We don’t own Puerto Rico,” the man says. “Are you educated?” The dimwitted man doesn’t realize Puerto Rico has been U.S. territory since 1896 and is classified as a Free Associated State.

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What’s more shocking about the incident is there was a policeman there who stood and watched the incident even though Irizarry continually asked for help. When she told the officer, “Officer, I feel entirely uncomfortable, can you remove … please officer.” The officer is seen walking away.

Eventually a female officer intervenes and tells the man Irizarry has every right to be there. The man was arrested and charged with assault and disorderly conduct. 

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Irizarry has now issued a complaint against the male officer for doing nothing; Puerto Rican officials in Washington, D.C. have contacted “local and state authorities, demanding that this officer be expelled from the police force.”