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# Hate crime arrest after threats at Berkeley school playground
- URL: https://www.berkeleyscanner.com/2026/06/14/crime/berkeley-hate-crime-arrest-threats-kids-playground/
- Published: 2026-06-14T23:42:37.000Z
- Updated: 2026-06-14T23:48:18.000Z
- Description: David Celio "repeatedly shouted … slurs and threatened the children" through the fence, officials said.
- Author: Emilie Raguso
- Tags: Crime, South Berkeley, BPD, Hate crimes, Arrests, #articles, #tips

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8e/3b/8e3bb516-9b88-46c2-aa85-566ed9c3647c/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-14-at-3.31.54---PM.jpg)

The playground at Malcolm X Elementary School. *Google Street View*

A homeless man who used anti-Black slurs and threatened children at a Berkeley school playground Saturday has been arrested, police report.

The incident happened at Malcolm X Elementary in [South Berkeley](https://www.berkeleyscanner.com/topic/south-berkeley/) at about 8:30 p.m., [Berkeley police](https://www.berkeleyscanner.com/topic/berkeley-police-department/) said in response to a Scanner inquiry.

According to police, the man walked up to a group of children playing and directed racial slurs at them through the fence before making threats of violence.

He "repeatedly shouted the slurs and threatened the children," officials said.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8e/3b/8e3bb516-9b88-46c2-aa85-566ed9c3647c/content/images/2026/06/david_celio-1.jpg) 

#### David Celio. **BPD*

Police found 38-year-old David Celio nearby and arrested him just before 9:15 p.m., according to booking records.

He was arrested on suspicion of a hate crime and child abuse, both misdemeanors, booking records show.

Celio has no charged criminal cases in Alameda County but he was arrested by UC Berkeley police [on a warrant in May](https://www.localcrimenews.com/welcome/detail/100782526/david-celio-arrest.html?ref=berkeleyscanner.com), public records show, in addition to [several other arrests](https://www.localcrimenews.com/welcome/searchArrests?firstname=david&lastname=celio&city=&ref=berkeleyscanner.com) since 2025.

He is being held at Berkeley Jail on $10,000 bail and is scheduled for arraignment Wednesday, according to booking records.

As of March, Berkeley had received at least 16 [hate crime reports](https://www.berkeleyscanner.com/topic/hate-crimes/) this year, with anti-Black hate crimes making up the largest percentage, at 29%, followed by homophobic hate crimes, at 18%.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8e/3b/8e3bb516-9b88-46c2-aa85-566ed9c3647c/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-14-at-4.36.15---PM.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8e/3b/8e3bb516-9b88-46c2-aa85-566ed9c3647c/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-14-at-4.36.35---PM.jpg)

A map of Berkeley hate crimes from January through March 2026 along with their categories. [**BPD Transparency Hub*](https://bpd-transparency-initiative-berkeleypd.hub.arcgis.com/pages/current-trends?ref=berkeleyscanner.com)

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