Warning: this video contains offensive language.
A man was arrested after video appeared to show him going on a racist rant in the Seattle neighborhood of Beacon Hill.
The rant was caught on video by Keoke Silvano, an academic advisor at the University of Washington.
“It was just an ugly word and he was just using it to arm himself against someone that I felt was defenseless and couldn’t protect himself,” Silvano said, according to MyNorthwest. He continued, saying “The main thing is if something happened either to myself or the gentleman sitting here I would have some sort of living document of what was happening,” The video has since gone viral.
Steven Jay Watts, 35, was charged with harassment and obstruction for the incident, where he allegedly yelled “put your hands on me, n****r,” and other racially charged statements in which he continued to use the racial epithet.
According to a post by activist Shaun King, Watts allegedly has history of violent assaults, and has 4 prior assault charges. As reported by KIRO 7, a judge said in open court that Watts had not complied with mental health treatment previously ordered from prior convictions. The judge also noted his concerns that Watts’ behavior is becoming increasingly more violent.
“I’m getting harassed everywhere I go in this country. Everywhere in this country I get harassed,” Watts said in court after he pleaded not guilty.
Watts is currently being held on a $10,000 bond, and has a court date set for June 25, 2018.
[Image via Facebook screengrab]
