Over the weekend two of Muscatines latin restaurants, ‘Guadalajara’, and ‘Jibaro’ had been vandalized with swastikas. A message was left that read “we don’t want you here,” covering the Puerto Rican flag of Jibaro. Naturally, the community became furious and demanded answers.
On January 28th, 2025 at 11:20am, Alisa Rilla Nichols Staats, 30, was arrested by Muscatine Police department for the vandalism of swastikas and hate speech on numerous facilities. She has been charged on 14 counts that include terrorism threats, criminal mischief as a hate crime, and other serious misdemeanors.
The outbreak of Swastika’s and hate speech started on January 26th. Victims of these derogatory crimes were Muscatine Community College, Jibaro, Guadalajara, City Fall, Pete’s Tap Bar & Grill, Pearl City Tobacco & Liquor, Susan Clark Junior High, and 113 Iowa Ave & 208 W 2nd St. The Restaurants that faced the derogatory vandalism concerning swastikas brought it upon themselves to come forward and release their own public statements on their Facebooks.
The community college took into effect a lockdown on Tuesday morning after a call to the school was made. The individual stated that they knew who had committed these acts and had even threatened the school.
Muscatine mayor, Brad Bark came to the public on his Facebook to release a statement about the matter.
The recent vandalism in these areas have deeply shaken the Muscatine community. The hateful messages and symbols have no place in our society. As the investigation continues, it’s crucial for everyone to support one another, ensuring that Muscatine remains a welcoming place for all its residents.
