San Diego Bagel Shop Vandalized Following Vice President Vance's July Visit
RPQ Golden Bagel Storefront (Yelp)
Political graffiti with spelling errors appears at Golden Bagel in Rancho Peñasquitos, sparking discussion about political targeting of businesses
A San Diego bagel shop that served Vice President JD Vance during his July visit to the city was vandalized with politically charged graffiti containing multiple spelling errors, according to reports that surfaced Thursday on social media.
The incident occurred at Golden Bagel Cafe in Rancho Peñasquitos, where vandals spray-painted "FACISTS & COLLABOR NOT WELCOME IN PQ" on the business exterior, according to a Reddit post titled "08/05: Someone tagged the bagel shop JD Vance visited." The graffiti appeared to be an attempt to write "FASCISTS & COLLABORATORS NOT WELCOME IN PQ," with "PQ" referring to the Rancho Peñasquitos neighborhood.
The Reddit user who shared the image reported that vandals also tagged several nearby homes in addition to the bagel shop. "Last night, someone tagged the bagel shop that J.D. Vance visited last month. I guess they also allegedly tagged some homes as well," the user wrote.
Background of Vance's San Diego Visit
Vice President Vance visited San Diego over the Fourth of July weekend for multiple events, including the Claremont Institute's 2025 Statesmanship Award dinner held in his honor on Saturday night, July 6. The dinner, which cost $2,500 per seat for general admission, was part of Vance's activities as finance chair of the Republican Party.
During his visit, Vance was met with protests at multiple locations. His most publicized encounter with demonstrators occurred outside Soichi Sushi in University Heights on Sunday evening, July 7, where protesters booed his motorcade and criticized his dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant while Texas was experiencing deadly flash floods.
Video footage from that incident showed protesters shouting remarks including "Hope your Michelin-starred sushi was worth it with 82 people dead in Texas! Thanks for cutting the National Weather Service" and "Get the hell out of San Diego."
The vice president also visited Golden Bagel during his San Diego trip, though this received less public attention at the time. Vance has personal ties to the San Diego area through his wife, Second Lady Usha Vance, who grew up in Rancho Peñasquitos where her parents still reside.
Golden Bagel Details
Golden Bagel has been a family-owned business in San Diego County since 1995, operating under the ownership of Sam Shamshoum. Located at 13289 Black Mountain Road in Rancho Peñasquitos, the establishment bills itself as "San Diego's cherished bagel destination" and prides itself on baking fresh bagels and bread daily on-site.
The business has maintained a strong reputation in the community, with customer reviews praising its authentic New York-style bagels and breakfast offerings. The shop serves the neighborhood where Usha Vance grew up, and her mother, Dr. Lakshmi Chilukuri, serves as provost of Sixth College at UC San Diego while her father, Krish Chilukuri, is a former engineering professor at San Diego State University.
Broader Pattern of Political Vandalism
The Golden Bagel incident appears to be part of a broader pattern of vandalism targeting locations associated with the Trump administration. Similar incidents have occurred across the country:
- In April 2025, climate protesters vandalized Trump Tower in New York City, spray-painting "USA" over the presidential insignia and unfurling a banner reading "Game Over" before being arrested.
- In Vermont, vandals spray-painted anti-Trump messages on a Norwich University bridge, including slogans such as "MAGA = New Fascist Party" and calls to "End White Supremacy," along with quotes from Malcolm X.
- On July 4, 2025, vandals targeted the Manassas Republican Party Headquarters in Virginia, spray-painting "Fash" in white capital letters on a window and coating the door handle and lock. They also stole an American flag and left what appeared to be urine on the window.
Community Response and Business Impact
The vandalism of Golden Bagel reflects the challenges faced by businesses that serve political figures, even when that service is simply part of normal operations. During Vance's visit to Soichi Sushi, reports indicated that the restaurant owners appeared distressed by the controversy, with witnesses describing the co-owner as visibly upset during the protests.
The incident has also sparked discussion on local social media platforms about the appropriateness of targeting businesses that serve political figures, with some defending the establishments' right to serve customers regardless of political affiliation while others have continued to criticize any association with the administration.
Law Enforcement and Graffiti Reporting
San Diego maintains active graffiti control programs, with city crews typically removing graffiti from public property within five days of receiving a report. The city encourages residents to report graffiti vandalism in progress by calling 911, while existing graffiti can be reported through the city's online system or by calling the Graffiti Hotline at 619-527-7500.
The city also operates a "Spray and Pay" rewards program offering up to $500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of graffiti vandals.
No arrests have been reported in connection with the Golden Bagel vandalism as of this report.
Political Context
The vandalism occurred amid heightened political tensions following the Trump administration's return to office in January 2025. Vice President Vance, who has been critical of California in his political rhetoric, continues to visit the state for fundraising and personal reasons due to his family connections.
The incident highlights the challenges faced by businesses in politically divided communities when they become associated, even tangentially, with controversial political figures. The targeting of establishments that simply provide normal commercial services to political officials raises questions about the extent to which businesses should be held accountable for their customers' political affiliations.
As political polarization continues to affect communities nationwide, the Golden Bagel incident serves as a local example of how national political divisions can impact small businesses and neighborhood stability.
Legal Classification and Enforcement Challenges
The vandalism incident raises questions about whether it could be classified as a hate crime rather than simple graffiti vandalism. California is among only six states that include "political affiliation" as a protected class under hate crime statutes, meaning the targeting of Golden Bagel for serving Vice President Vance could theoretically qualify for enhanced penalties.
Under California Penal Code Section 422.55 and the Ralph Civil Rights Act, businesses targeted because of their actual or perceived political associations can seek both criminal prosecution with enhanced penalties and civil remedies including restraining orders, damages, and civil penalties up to $25,000. The graffiti message "FACISTS & COLLABOR NOT WELCOME IN PQ" suggests clear political motivation and intent to intimidate based on perceived conservative affiliation.
However, the incident highlights broader challenges in enforcing hate crime laws when political divisions intersect with local governance. San Diego County's political landscape—where Democratic-leaning urban areas like University Heights contrast sharply with more conservative suburban communities like Rancho Peñasquitos—creates complex dynamics for law enforcement response.
Political Polarization and Enforcement Realities
Local government response to politically motivated crimes often reflects the partisan divide within communities. In San Diego, where Vice President Vance faced significant protests during his visit, there may be limited appetite among local officials to pursue aggressive prosecution of anti-conservative vandalism, particularly when the underlying crime is relatively minor property damage.
The selective enforcement concern extends beyond this single incident. During Vance's July visit, protesters specifically targeted businesses that served the vice president, with some establishments reportedly receiving negative online reviews and harassment campaigns. The pattern suggests a coordinated effort to economically punish businesses for serving Republican officials, yet there has been little visible law enforcement response to protect these establishments.
Political considerations may influence prosecutorial discretion in several ways:
Resource Allocation: District attorneys in Democratic-leaning jurisdictions may prioritize other types of hate crimes over those targeting conservative political affiliation, viewing them as less socially harmful or deserving of limited prosecutorial resources.
Community Relations: Local officials may be reluctant to appear to be protecting Republican political interests, particularly in areas where such actions could be politically costly.
Definitional Disputes: Some officials may argue that targeting businesses for their customer base doesn't rise to the level of hate crimes, viewing it instead as legitimate political protest or consumer activism.
Broader Implications for Business Neutrality
The incident reflects a troubling trend where businesses face pressure to take political positions or risk harassment. Unlike traditional hate crime scenarios involving immutable characteristics like race or religion, political affiliation cases often involve businesses being punished for simply providing commercial services to customers regardless of political views.
This creates a chilling effect on business neutrality and normal commercial operations. When establishments face vandalism, harassment, or boycotts for serving political figures, it undermines the principle that businesses should be able to serve all customers without fear of retaliation.
The challenge is particularly acute for small, family-owned businesses like Golden Bagel, which lack the resources to manage political controversies or enhanced security measures. Unlike large corporations that can absorb negative publicity, local establishments may face existential threats from coordinated harassment campaigns.
Enforcement Disparities and Equal Protection
The limited response to anti-conservative political vandalism contrasts sharply with how similar incidents targeting progressive causes or other protected groups might be handled. This disparity raises equal protection concerns and questions about whether hate crime laws are being applied consistently across the political spectrum.
The situation also highlights how political polarization can undermine rule of law at the local level. When law enforcement agencies or prosecutors are perceived as politically biased in their response to crimes, it erodes public trust and encourages vigilante justice or self-help remedies.
For Golden Bagel and similar businesses, the practical reality may be that formal legal remedies offer limited protection. Even if hate crime charges were filed and civil lawsuits succeeded, the damage to business reputation and customer relationships may be irreversible.
The incident thus serves as a case study in how political polarization challenges fundamental principles of equal treatment under law and business neutrality in increasingly divided communities.
Sources
- Daily Caller News Foundation. "Bagel Shop That Served JD Vance Vandalized With Poorly Spelled Graffiti." August 7, 2025. https://dailycaller.com/2025/08/07/jd-vance-golden-bagel-vandalized/
- CBS 8 San Diego. "Vice President JD Vance visits San Diego over Fourth of July weekend." https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/jd-vance-visits-san-diego/509-5cada34b-247d-4ddd-ac36-8ac32a802015
- Times of San Diego. "Protesters boo VP Vance outside University Heights sushi restaurant." July 9, 2025. https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2025/07/07/protesters-boo-vp-vance-university-heights-sushi-restaurant/
- Fox 5 San Diego. "Vice President J.D. Vance in San Diego Fourth of July weekend." July 8, 2025. https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/vice-president-in-san-diego-attending-events-as-republican-partys-finance-chair-and-to-receive-award/
- The San Diego Union-Tribune. "Michelin-starred sushi, $2,500-a-seat dinners: Vice President Vance wraps up San Diego visit." July 7, 2025. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/07/07/michelin-starred-sushi-2500-a-seat-dinners-vice-president-vance-wraps-up-san-diego-visit/
- SanDiegoVille. "Vice President JD Vance Draws Protests, Restaurant Controversy During San Diego Visit." https://www.sandiegoville.com/2025/07/vice-president-jd-vance-draws-protests.html
- Newsweek. "JD Vance Heckled, Booed at California Dinner." July 8, 2025. https://www.newsweek.com/jd-vance-heckled-booed-california-dinner-san-diego-texas-floods-2095916
- Golden Bagel Cafe official website. https://www.goldenbagelsd.com/
- City of San Diego. "Reporting Graffiti." https://www.sandiego.gov/street-div/services/graffiti
- IJR. "Bagel Shop That Served JD Vance Vandalized With Poorly Spelled Graffiti." August 7, 2025. https://ijr.com/bagel-shop-that-served-jd-vance-vandalized-with-poorly-spelled-graffiti/
- Bagel Shop That Served JD Vance Vandalized With Poorly Spelled Graffiti |
Comments
Post a Comment