Hate Crime Charges Filed in Oakland Vandalism Case

The Alameda County district attorney’s office today filed felony hate crime, vandalism and false imprisonment charges against two men for vandalism incidents at two West Oakland liquor stores last week.

Defendants Yusuf Bey IV, 19, the son of Your Black Muslim Bakery founder Yusuf Bey, and 73-year-old Donald Eugene Cunningham are scheduled to be arraigned on the charges at 2 p.m. today.

Bey and Cunningham, who are both associated with Your Black Muslim Bakery, are being held at the Alameda County Jail in Dublin in lieu of $200,000 bail each.

The charges stem from incidents late the night of Nov. 23 in which the New York Market at 3446 Market St. and the nearby San Pablo Liquor Store at 2363 San Pablo Ave. were vandalized by a group of about 11 black men dressed in business suits and bow ties who asked why a Muslim-owned store would sell liquor when it’s against the teachings of Islam to do so.

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Rogers said he filed hate crime charges against Cunningham and Bey “because of their actions and what they said” but declined to be more specific.

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