‘Chinese people ruined my life’

A man was arrested for an alleged hate crime after he vandalized the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District.

Milne’s arrest: When Milne was arrested, police noted that he said, “Chinese people ruined my life,” leading authorities and community leaders to believe the attack was racially motivated. Milne was booked for a hate crime offense and malicious mischief. After his first court appearance on Friday, his bail was set at $30,000.

“We argued that there was probable cause for a hate crime,” said Casey McNerthney, a spokesperson for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. “The charging decision will come when we get the referral from Seattle police, and we anticipate getting that referral tomorrow.”

Museum damages: According to the museum’s executive director, Joël Barraquiel Tan, the damages could cost more than $200,000. Despite the incident, Tan says his staff and volunteers are committed to educating the public about Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) history.

Denouncements of the incident: After Milne’s arrest, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell released an official statement on X, condemning the incident and promising assistance to the museum. 

“This anti-Asian business has got to stop,” she said. “It isn’t just an Asian American problem. It’s a problem that affects the whole community.”