Native dancers want Arizona gallery owner held on hate crime

PHOENIX (AP) — Native American dancers who were the target of a suburban Phoenix gallery owner’s racist rant as they were being filmed for Super Bowl week are pushing for hate crime charges. Scottsdale police say Gilbert Ortega Jr. has since been charged with three misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct. The confrontation happened Tuesday afternoon (Feb. 6, 2023) in Old Town Scottsdale. Ten dancers were performing in front of the Native Art Market on Main Street. ESPN was filming the group in the store and then had them pose outside by a Super Bowl sign. One dancer videoed the tirade, in which Ortega can be seen cursing at them and yelling “you (expletive) Indians.”