Hate Crime Charges Filed After Attack on Muslim Students in Connecticut

In Waterbury, Connecticut, a 12-year-old student faces hate crime charges in juvenile court for allegedly participating in an attack on twin seventh-grade Muslim students at their middle school. The student is accused of intimidation motivated by bigotry and bias. The attack, which involved the removal of the victims’ hijabs and physical assault, is being investigated as a hate crime due to its religious and ethnic motivation. Another student was referred to a youth diversionary program. The incident, occurring during Ramadan, has raised concerns about Islamophobia, as reports of anti-Muslim bias reach record highs. The victims’ family and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) allege prior bullying and threats against the twins. School officials acknowledge previous conflicts but disagree on their severity.