White man who pushed Black neighbor in racist rant arrested after protesters show up at his home

White man who pushed Black neighbor in racist rant arrested
after protesters show up at his home 1

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. – A white man has been arrestedafter video of him yelling racial slurs at a Black neighbor sparked an anti-racism protest at his home.

Edward Cagney Mathews 45, was seen in a widely circulated video Friday pushing a neighbor with his chest and using racist slurs before giving his address and challenging the person filming him to visit his home.

He was charged with harassment and bias intimidation Friday but not arrested until Monday after 150 protesters showed up at his home. On Monday evening, prosecutors said at a news conference that they were bringing new charges against Mathews based on additional video footage, but they did not say what the new charges were. He was taken to Burlington County Jail.

Before he was arrested, Mathews is heard saying in another video that “what I did was not acceptable. It’s completely wrong.”

The original video, which Mount Laurel police called “disturbing,” shows Mathews taunting a Black man at the door of a home, repeatedly using racial slurs and refusing to leave until the police arrive. Mathews yells at the man to “come see me,” then states his full address. 

Residents of the South Jersey town and beyond took him up on the invitation Monday. A loud but peaceful crowd gathered for hours outside Mathews’ home, chanting “Black Lives Matter” and “This is what community looks like.”

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“He’s an elite, entitled white supremacist, and that’s why he thought he could give his address with no consequence,” said Angeline Dean of Mount Laurel, who joined the protesters outside Mathews’ home.

Some angrily questioned police officers, demanding to know why Mathews had not been arrested sooner. Residents also expressed frustration with the police response to the confrontation and said Matthews has a history of engaging in racial incidents at the apartment complex. 

Kyle Gardner, a police spokesman, told the Philadelphia Inquirer that there had been complaints about Mathews but that there had not been enough evidence to bring charges. Police said they were investigating other incidents involving him. 

When police moved to arrest Mathews at about 7:30 p.m. Monday, footage posted by a reporter shows protesters throwing objects toward officers and Mathews as they walk to a police car and then at the car as it drives away.

“We just need to support each other,” said Corey Degree, who traveled from New Brunswick for the protest. “People need to know that when these things happen, there are consequences.”

Contributing: The Associated Press

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