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Mount Laurel, New Jersey resident Edward Cagney Mathews has been charged with harassment and bias intimidation after he reportedly terrorized his neighbors over the holiday weekend.
Last week, Matthews' neighbor said that a 45-year-old man kicked down her door and vandalized her car. Another neighbor captured a video of Matthews “shouting offensive and racial slurs."
“This is not Africa,” Matthews shouted.
On July 2, a neighbor called the police and Matthews was taken into custody and charged with harassment. However, he was released and allowed to return home shortly thereafter. Matthews' release coupled with a video of him "shouting offensive and racial slurs" prompted protesters to gather outside of his South Jersey home and demand that he be taken into custody.
"People are out here because they're angry," Marcus Sibley of the Southern Burlington County NAACP told NBC 10 in Philadelphia.
"They felt they could say the most horrible thing you could say to a Black person and there would be no repercussions."
As more of Matthews' former and current neighbors stepped forward to accuse him of harassment, Burlington County police officers returned to his home. On Monday, he was met with additional charges of bias intimidation and assault.
"I want to especially commend the victim who showed incredible restraint with somebody spewing awful, vile things in his face. Assaulting him," Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina said during a press conference on July 5.
"That's the subject of the additional charge today. That was on video."
The South Jersey resident attempted to apologize for his actions, but refused to classify himself as a "racist.
"I've never been a racist," Mathews told NBC 10.
"I've made mistakes. Said racial slurs out of anger or being drunk. I may not be able to relate to communities of color but I am not a racist and I have the upmost respect for us as a community."
Matthews will remain in Burlington County Jail until his first court appearance later this week.