Confusing African-American ‘Noise Notice’ Labeled Potential Hate Crime

“Resident Noise Levels” reads a mysterious flyer, pointing to “African-American” residents and posted at an Irvine apartment complex instigated resident concern and a resulting police investigation into hate crime allegations.

Who and for what agenda the flyers were posted remains a mystery.

The notice in question was posted in at least two elevators at the Toscana Apartment complex, reports NBC Los Angeles. It begins with mundane notification that multiple noise complaints have been received for evening hours and gives a “friendly reminder to reduce the volume of stereos and televisions at night.”

But it is the bottom left portion of the notice that had residents talking to police Friday, as officers came out to investigate. A police report has been filed regarding the incident the television report stated.

“We also would like to remind our African-American residents to keep conversation volume down and reduce music levels between 10:00pm and 7:00am.” This portion of the flyer printed in bold type continued, “Multiple complaints have been made regarding this issue.”

The complex sits approximately a mile from the University of California, Irvine campus. NBCLA noted a high contingent of student residents.

“I definitely feel uncomfortable here,” an unnamed resident said on camera. “I don’t want to be a part of this community.”

Nobody seems to know the source or provocation for the flyer, and whoever does isn’t revealing it.

Whoever did create and post the notice went to lengths making it appear as though the property management company, Equity Residential, created it. Equity’s contact information and logo appear on the notice’s lower right hand portion.

Equity Residential Regional Manager Mary Linder publicly called the flyer “a fake,” denying any involvement, “no one from Equity, not any of our employees or Equity Residential had anything to do with the creation or the distribution.”

According to NBCLA, resident Christine expressed great surprise over the incident, “I think it’s horrifying that someone would write specifically about one culture and point that out.”

Motivation for the flyer’s creation and posting was yet unknown in the community at the time of the report.

Follow Michelle Moons on Twitter @MichelleDiana