The Maine attorney general has obtained a civil rights injunction against a Portland man who threatened two Black women.
Alisha Sayed, 28, on Aug. 2, 2022, approached a Black woman at the Portland Public Library, where he called her racial slurs and then warned her to “[w]atch your back. I’m coming for you. I’ll be looking for you,” according to the Maine attorney general’s office.
Later that day at a nearby apartment building Sayed approached a second Black woman whom he called racial slurs and then chased down a hallway, the attorney general.
Portland police quickly arrested Sayed, and he later pleaded guilty to criminal threatening and terrorizing. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail.
The attorney general pursued the permanent civil rights injunction to protect the women and the public at large.
“When victims are singled out and pursued for their race, religion, gender, or any protected identity, our laws recognize not only harm to the victims, but harm to an entire community and to society at large,” Attorney General Aaron Frey said Monday. “My office will not hesitate to take action under the Maine Civil Rights Act to enjoin racist activity that causes fear in our community.”
Under the Maine Civil Rights Act, the attorney general can take action against any person who uses or threatens physical force, violence or property damage against another person based upon their race, color, religion, sex, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.
A knowing violation of an order issued under the Maine Civil Rights Act is a Class D crime punishable by up to 364 days in jail and a $2,000 fine.
That comes weeks after the attorney general announced it was pursuing a similar action against a Florida woman accused of using racial slurs and threatening an Asian-American woman in Kennebunkport in June.
