"A volunteer for a nonprofit that works for legal protections for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and the transgendered returned to her Santa Ana office Thursday night to find a noose hanging from the doorknob," reports Matt Coker. "But Mel Distel, 25, of Huntington Beach, was almost more frightened by the attitude displayed by Santa Ana police officers who responded to what she considered a hate crime against Equality California (EQCA)."

On EQCA's Facebook page, Distel relates the conversation she and EQCA's Daniel Shad had with two cops.

"There was nothing they could do, of course, there was no suspect and no crime had been committed. The officer said 'what it is, is a string on a door.' My vision got blurry, I was embarrased and felt stupid for making the call. I took a deep breath and said 'Do you see any correlation between the fact that this is a gay office and there was a noose left on our door in the wake of all of these teen suicides?' The officer said, 'Sometimes you just have to live with being a victim,' and proceeded to mention that his car had been broken into before."

MORE COVERAGE

• Noose found hanging at gay rights group's office:
  

  A gay rights group has found a black noose hanging on the door of one of its Southern California offices. Equality California phone bank trainer Mel Distel told the Orange County Register she found the noose late Thursday when she opened up the Santa Ana office for campaign volunteers. Distel says she called the police and an officer told her sometimes you have to live with being a victim. She says she will file a formal complaint about the officer's response. Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna declined comment on Distel's account. He says police are investigating.The Anti-Defamation League has condemned the noose and urged police to treat the incident seriously.

• The Noose of Anti-Gay Hatred Alive and Well In Santa Ana
• Police Reaction to LGBT Noose Sparks Outrage