Westbrook police said Monday that a halal market in downtown Westbrook was vandalized late last week, but it did not appear to be a hate crime.
Capt. Sean Lally said in an email that Jeremiah Gleason, 40, of Westbrook was arrested in connection with the vandalism at the Tigris Market, 11 Bridge St. According to its Facebook page, Tigris Market sells Middle Eastern food, as well as rugs and cigarettes.
Gleason was charged with aggravated criminal mischief, according to Lally. Gleason was arrested at 4:41 a.m. Friday.
“We arrested the vandal the same night,” Lally said. “There is no evidence of a hate/bias crime. It was more of a drunken rampage.”
Police said Gleason threw a can of Twisted Tea, an alcoholic beverage, through the storefront window, shattering it.
The vandalism provoked a response on Facebook from Westbrook’s Neighbor to Neighbor program, which expressed regrets about the incident. It urged Westbrook residents to support Tigris by buying products there.
The Neighbor to Neighbor program is designed to help ease the transition for new city residents who are immigrants.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
