‘No Asians Allowed’: Woman Arrested for Posting Hateful Letters Targeting Asians in San Leandro

Nancy Arechiga of San Leandro was arrested for “inappropriate posts towards minorities” on Friday night, according SF Gate.

Arechiga was photographed on Friday after she posted her xenophobic letters on one of the houses. Facebook user Trinny Wynn shared a few pictures of the woman as well as her letter.

“You, because we consider you’re a stranger, one bad person for this country, leave, go far away, go back to your country, the place you belong. Leave this place,” Arechiga wrote in one of her handwritten letters. “You have until the day May 23, 2020, Saturday 10:30 a.m. to leave this country place no Asian allowed. My Country USA.”

Trinh, who only wanted to be referred to by her first name out of safety concerns, told ABC7 that her brother found one of the letters on Friday evening.

“It was shocking and the whole family was really shaken up at it. I can’t comprehend hatefulness reading this letter send chills down my spine,” she said.

However, Arichiga was forced to be released from jail as the state of California orders a statewide emergency order that sets the bail for most misdemeanor and lower-level felony offenses to $0 as a way to curb the spread of the virus in its jails.

This decision did not sit well with Trinh, she said, “It just tells me they don’t take a hate crime seriously.”

San Leandro Mayor Pauline Cutter said in a statement they were aware of the incident where a woman posts xenophobic letters on public places and on homes in the neighborhoods.

“I am aware of reports that a woman was posting flyers containing anti-Asian messages at residences and public places in our community yesterday,” Cutter said. “I’d like to commend our Police Department for taking this situation extremely seriously. They were able to identify the person responsible within a matter of hours and take appropriate action right away.”

“San Leandro is a community of beautifully diverse people, who share a common desire to live in harmony, and free from intimidation,” San Leandro Police Lieutenant Isaac Benabou said. “We welcome people’s rights to express themselves, but not in a manner that infringes upon a community’s sense of security and wellbeing.”

“We are a strong family and we will move forward,” Trinh said in her message to Arichiga. “We’re very forgiving so we just hope that for this woman whatever she’s going through she’ll find peace at the end of the day.”

Feature Image via Trinny Wynn