University of Texas at Austin stabbing
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On February 4, 2024, a stabbing attack occurred on the grounds of the University of Texas at Austin, perpetrated by 36-year-old Bert James Baker against a 23-year-old Palestinian-American student who attended a pro-Palestinian protest.
University of Texas at Austin stabbing | |
---|---|
Part of the Israel–Hamas war | |
Location | University of Texas at Austin, West Campus |
Date | February 4, 2024 |
Target | Pro-Palestinian protesters |
Attack type | Stabbing and assault |
Weapon | Knife |
Deaths | 0 |
Injured | 1 |
Perpetrator | Bert James Baker |
Motive | Anti-Palestinianism |
Charges | Assault with a deadly weapon |
Prelude
Anti-Palestinianism was a rising sentiment during the Israel-Hamas war all over the world, including the United States.[1] This has caused heightening tensions between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinians which sometimes leads to violent events to occur.[2] Even before this attack, many anti-Palestinian hate crimes occurred with one of them being the shooting of three Palestinian-American men wearing Palestinian keffiyehs in Burlington, Vermont.[3]
Attack
During a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Texas at Austin, Baker attacked a man inside the truck who was sitting in the passenger side of a car with his friend by dragging him out of the vehicle and put him to the ground after attempting to rip off a pro-Palestinian symbol from the truck that Doar was in and calling the group a racial slur.[4][5] During this scuffle, the man's friend, 23-year-old Zacharia Doar attempted to help him but was stabbed while attempting to intervene.[6] Doar was taken into the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries but, according to his father, was still in immense pain.[7]
Reactions and aftermath
Police arrested Baker after the attack and Austin police stated that the attack was "bias-motivated" and would be investigated and treated as a hate crime.[8] A month later was indicted by a grand jury on an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge but wasn't charged with any additional hate crime charge.[9]
The Muslim Public Affairs Council stated that they were concerned with the rising Islamophobia and anti-Palestinianism after the attack stating that they were deeply concerned.[10]
The Council on American–Islamic Relations stated that they condemn the attack strongly and that people who perpetrate these crimes should be "prosecuted to the full extent of the law".[11]
References
- ^ Yang, Maya (2023-11-10). "Islamophobia and antisemitism on rise in US amid Israel-Hamas war". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. OCLC 60623878. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
- ^ Alfonseca, Kiara (2023-11-15). "US extremists exploit Israeli-Palestinian tensions with calls for violence, hate: Experts". ABC News. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
- ^ "Suspect arrested in Vermont shooting of 3 U.S. college students of Palestinian descent". NBC News. 2023-11-27. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
- ^ Aguasvivas, Arleen; Chan, Melissa; Essamuah, Zinhle (2024-02-07). "Stabbing of Palestinian American man in Texas was motivated by bias, police say". NBC News. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
- ^ "Austin police say West Campus attack meets hate crime definition". KVUE. 2024-02-07. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
- ^ "Stabbing of Palestinian American near the University of Texas meets hate crime standard, police say". Associated Press. 2024-02-07. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
- ^ Oladipo, Gloria (2024-02-08). "Stabbing of Palestinian American in Texas a hate crime, police say". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. OCLC 60623878. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
- ^ Ramkissoon, Jaclyn; Jones, Abigail; Washington, Jala; Huey, Dalton (2024-02-06). "APD: Committee says stabbing near UT campus meets definition of hate crime". KXAN-TV. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
- ^ Schnitker, Andrew (2024-04-23). "Man indicted in UT West Campus stabbing of Palestinian American". KXAN-TV. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
- ^ MPAC (2024-02-07). "MPAC Concerned Over Continued Increase in Hate-motivated Attacks". Muslim Public Affairs Council. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
- ^ Allison, Ismael (2024-02-05). "CAIR Calls for Hate Crime Charge in Stabbing Attack on Young Muslims After Pro-Palestine Protest". Council on American–Islamic Relations. Retrieved 2024-05-20.