Incident Overview
A River Forest business owner, Glenda Harris, alleges that she has been harassed by Robert Palomo, the owner of a neighboring dog grooming shop, for over a year. Palomo has reportedly directed racial slurs at Harris and her daughter, Erica Robinson.
Recent Escalation
The conflict escalated recently when Palomo was caught on video using a hammer to remove a security camera from the entrance of Harris’s business, Epic Signature Suites. This incident led to his arrest and subsequent charge of misdemeanor criminal damage to property.
Evidence and Police Involvement
Police informed Harris that if she could provide receipts showing the surveillance system cost more than $500, the charge could be upgraded to a felony. Despite repeated calls to the police by Harris, there were no police reports filed for previous incidents on July 16th and May 23rd.
Statements from Both Parties
Palomo claims the conflict began due to Harris’s employees occupying six parking spaces, causing inconvenience for his customers. However, Harris refutes this, stating the harassment started with Palomo’s objection to her renting space in the strip mall because she is Black.
Community Response
The River Forest Police have charged Palomo, but questions remain regarding why previous complaints were not documented and why the racial slurs did not result in hate crime charges. Harris continues to seek a resolution and protection from further harassment.
