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USVI Peace Officer allegedly spat on, called 'black monkey'

- While attempting to cite a bartender
Mugshots of James Bildahl, left, and Nathalie Hollins, who are both charged with assaulting a peace officer in the US Virgin Islands. Photo: VIPD
US Virgin Islands Governor, Albert A. Bryan Jr has said 'Anybody that attacks anyone of our officers — whether Covid or anything else will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. We make no exceptions there.' Photo: VI Gov't
US Virgin Islands Governor, Albert A. Bryan Jr has said 'Anybody that attacks anyone of our officers — whether Covid or anything else will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. We make no exceptions there.' Photo: VI Gov't
VI CONSORTIUM

FREDERIKSTED, St Croix, USVI— A [US] Virgin Islands Department of Health (DOH) enforcement officer said he was assaulted and racial slurs yelled at him by white individuals on Saturday night, June 27, 2020, while attempting to perform his duty of enforcing the US Virgin Islands' coronavirus mandates at a bar in Cane Bay called Spratnet Beach Bar and Grill.

The incident resulted in the arrest of Nathalie Hollins, whose father is white and mother black, and James Bildahl, who is white. Hollins was charged with throwing bodily fluid or waste at a person, interfering with an officer discharging his duty, and third-degree assault. Bildahl was levied charges of third-degree assault and interfering with an officer discharging his duty.

'Black monkey'

In a probable cause fact sheet following an advisement hearing at the Superior Court on St. Croix Monday, peace officer Wanson Harris, who serves as the DOH Director of Environmental Health, described the incident that eventually resulted in the director being assaulted, called a "black monkey" and being told to get his "black ass from here." He also said he was spat on by Hollins.

According to the fact sheet, Mr Harris visited the bar and restaurant after 7:00 pm Saturday as part of random inspections being performed by DOH inspectors to ascertain that facilities are adhering to the protocols put in place. He said the bartender was not wearing a mask, which prompted Mr Harris to identify himself in his capacity as a law enforcement officer with the Health Department. He said the bartender yelled and used an expletive, stating that she would not wear a mask. Mr Harris then contacted the owner of the facility to inform the owner of the infractions observed, after the bartender failed to produce a health card. Neither the bartender or the owner was named in the document.

According to the probable cause fact sheet, Mr Harris said patrons at the bar started to yell racial slurs at him while he was issuing a warning citation. He said these patrons "became irate and started making racial remarks by calling me a black monkey."

SpratNet Bar-Restaurant-2

Spratnet Beach Bar & Grill in Cane Bay on St. Croix's North Shore. Photo: Ernice Gilbert/VI Consortium)

The incident became even worse, with Hollins yelling at Mr Harris, "Get your black ass from here!", after she had thrown what appeared to be a beer bottle at him, according to the document.

At that point, Mr Harris moved to place Hollins under arrest, but his duty was interfered by Bildahl, who pulled Hollins way from Officer Harris, yelling, "You are not going with her," Mr Harris wrote.

Bildahl left the area after assaulting Mr Harris. However Hollins continued to resist arrest "by fighting, spitting on me within the facial area and in my eye, biting me on my chest with great force, and kicking me in the groin and stomach with great force," Officer Harris wrote.

Governor Bryan 'highly alarmed'

Governor Albert A. Bryan Jr, responding to a Consortium question about the incident during his coronavirus press briefing on Monday, June 29, 2020, said, "Anybody that attacks anyone of our officers — whether Covid or anything else will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. We make no exceptions there."

He added, "I was highly alarmed and really irate at the nerve of people to attack [an] officer trying to do his job. We're going to make sure we get justice as far as anybody who accosts, assault, any officer — especially one with this Covid-19 response right now."

Mr Bryan said the administration was asked to reopen the facility after the incident. His response was, "Absolutely not."

VIPD Public Information Officer Toby Derima told the Consortium that both Hollins and Bildahl were remanded on $25,000 bond. However, he said they may have been released after their advisement hearing on Monday. Mr Derima said he would provide an update soon.

18 Responses to “USVI Peace Officer allegedly spat on, called 'black monkey'”

  • Bulldawg (02/07/2020, 17:53) Like (12) Dislike (3) Reply

    Lock their racist backside up and throw away the key.
    That lady is an a$$h***. She don't know she is considered black even though one of her family is white.
    Real fool.

    • Power Corrupts (03/07/2020, 06:02) Like (0) Dislike (27) Reply
      This health Inspector, needs to slow down.... stop getting personal and focus on been a professional...Be a solution Inspector, not a problem czusing inspector... Love people.. Not hate and fight them... in this life .. we never kno
    • wow (03/07/2020, 07:24) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
      She is not black. Stop the nonsense.
  • Blackmonkey (02/07/2020, 18:36) Like (2) Dislike (23) Reply
    These sell out government people think they own the earth and want to take away basic human rights.the black monkey was wrong.let people live their lives, could you tell god wear a mask or a hurricane not to pass over you.stop bullying people of their basic human rights.
  • Greg (02/07/2020, 18:48) Like (15) Dislike (0) Reply
    While in jail, they won't spit on anyone else I bet. Spitting is a death sentence if they have COVID-19. Yeah, I would bust their ass in jail. They have the nerve to call him a monkey, while they look like two crack head dirty, nasty Baboons. Look at those hairy apes! YUCK!!!!!
  • guy hill (02/07/2020, 18:56) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
    Hollins and Bildahl full of shit, a lot of shit.
  • dread (02/07/2020, 19:11) Like (14) Dislike (2) Reply
    Try that f**k Tola!
  • Not true (03/07/2020, 05:48) Like (0) Dislike (20) Reply
    This health inspector is a mess, he turn a minor, minor incident into this big thing because of the way he went about it...Seems like he had ulteria motive,,...Then again, From what im reading the owner of the bar didnt do anything wrong, he coorpersted fully, so why shut him down.. come-on...this is over doing....Also im hearing that the incident aint happen the way he is spinning it...
  • Vision (03/07/2020, 08:40) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    The unfortunate thing about this is that they will just get a slap on the wrist that is why they do it. They know that someone making terrorist threats is facing more serious consequences than violating someone's civil rights.
  • NezRez (03/07/2020, 08:58) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
    Spitting on the officer was attempted murder, since Covid-19 if infected, can kill you. Then these two animal hybrids had the nerve to call the Officer a monkey, while they both look like they belong in a zoo of low brow hairy Orangutans. They think they are better because they are caucasian, but we all know that is a crock of SH_T, because they act lower than a sewer with their racism and hatred all over the world. They should not have been released but quarantined for the required 14 days to make sure they don't have the virus. The Officer needs to be quarantined too for everyone's safety.
  • Sick (03/07/2020, 09:04) Like (5) Dislike (2) Reply
    what pisses me off is these people don't want to do what the heaalth people them to do to prevent getting sick but when them get sick them want the same health people help them.SMH
  • GOVERNOR (03/07/2020, 11:22) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    What do you think the Governor calls the Premier behind his back?!
  • Jacko (03/07/2020, 18:35) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Unbelievable and unbearable
  • what (04/07/2020, 17:49) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    If it was me dog will have eat there supper u crazy with their stinking mouth monkey really know which tree to climb no joke
  • mad (04/07/2020, 18:07) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    I tell u if in Venice that shit happen trust me all like now both of them will be laying in the same funeral home waiting for berriel
  • All the best (07/07/2020, 07:59) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Congrats to the USVI for becoming just another shitty South Florida town!


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