If there’s one place that’s meant to welcome everyone, it’s a church. That expectation was tested at a Catholic parish in California, where a woman objected to a mass being conducted in Spanish.
The incident, captured on video by another attendee, shows the woman, who appeared to be Asian, leaving the service in frustration. Before the camera started rolling, she had allegedly made an offensive remark, prompting the man filming to repeatedly ask her to clarify what she had said.
She eventually responded, “I said ‘I don’t like Mexicans’.”
The man continued recording and told her that such language had no place inside a church. The moment is uncomfortable to watch: a setting meant for reflection and community instead becomes a snapshot of division.
The person who reposted the video alleged that the woman was prepared to call ICE. That claim, however, isn’t supported by the footage itself. The clip does not show her contacting anyone. What it does show is the man behind the camera laughing after she admitted she didn’t like Mexicans. He then told her he worked security at another Catholic church, at which point she began filming him in return.
As tensions escalated, another man stepped between them while the original filmer continued to confront her. “She can’t be racist at church,” he said. When he told her she wasn’t allowed to insult people inside a place of worship, it sounded as though she replied, “I’m allowed.” The exchange only underscored how brazen the moment had become.
The confrontation didn’t end there. The man filming said he intended to show the video to clergy members. It’s unclear whether the woman regularly attends that particular church. The individual who originally shared the clip added context in the description, writing, “That church was built by the community, for the community, with help from the Mexican community. My grandfather and great-grandparents were part of this build. It’s unfortunate that there are still tensions between the groups.”
Places of worship are meant to bring people together. Moments like this serve as a reminder of how fragile that unity can be when prejudice enters the room.
People Reacting to the California Woman Storming out of Church
People were quite upset by what the woman did, and also the fact that she said she didn’t like Mexicans. This kind of hate made one person write, “What a horrible person. The hypocrisy of an immigrant disparaging an entire immigrant community is astounding. She came to this country for something better just as they have. Truthfully half of the US used to be Mexico so they are at home and have more ties to the land than she could ever hope to have. I’m exhausted at the level of hate being directed at immigrants. The vast majority are hard-working and productive. Immigration has never been the problem. Hatred of someone who is different is what is ruining this nation.” Another person replied, “I mean … why even bother going to church if she’s so hateful.”
More people expressed their opinion about the woman, as one person commented on her being Asian. “The second that woman opens her mouth in public, that Chinese accent is going to land her in ICE detention faster than she can say ‘I don’t like Mexicans.’,” they wrote. Another person said, “When black, Asian, Chinese, Puerto Rican and other poc are racist against Mexicans or any other poc… you’re beyond help. Go [expletive] yourself.” Someone else wrote, “It never ceases to amaze me how someone who is a minority can discriminate against another minority.” It won’t be the end of the world if she accepts others.
