CAIR-Austin calls attack on Muslim UT student 'hate crime'

AUSTIN, Texas - The Austin branch of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights organization held a press conference on Tuesday to discuss an attack that happened on a Muslim UT student last Friday, April 5.

"A hate crime after a hate crime. An incident after an incident. We don't feel safe. It's just, it creates an unsafe environment for everyone," said Shaimaa Zayan, operations manager with CAIR-Austin.

A UT student wearing attire associated with the South Asian Muslim community was walking back to campus after praying at a local mosque.

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Zayan says the victim reported what happened to the police and CAIR-Austin. She says he told them three men approached him on his walk home. They then blocked his path and attacked him by throwing punches.

The student suffered a busted lip, cuts and bruises.

"No human being should feel unsafe wearing their traditional clothes in public and when this happens in Austin, a city that cherishes cultural diversity, it's even more traumatizing," said Zayan.

Those with the organization believe this was a hate crime and call on the Austin Police Department to investigate it as such. It would not be the first. Zayan says APD confirmed the stabbing of a 23-year-old Palestinian-American at a protest in February was bias-motivated.

She says many Muslim Americans are wondering when incidents like this will stop and says calling attention to them is the first step.

"We are trying to help as much as possible, shedding light on these incidents and asking authorities to take the right actions," said Zayan.

The Austin Police Department sent the following to FOX 7 Austin about the case:

The Austin Police Department is aware of a report of a bias-motivated incident near the University of Texas at Austin Campus. This case was reported through our online reporting system.  APD is currently investigating this case.

When a potential hate crime incident is reported to APD, the case is assigned two title codes.  The first title code is the criminal offense that was committed.  Examples include but are not limited to assault, criminal mischief, robbery and sexual assault.  The second is the Hate Crime Information title code.  This code ensures the case is routed to APD’s Hate Crime Review Committee.

The criminal offense is investigated by the assigned investigative unit, while the Hate Crime Review Committee is responsible for determining if the criminal offense occurred based on a bias or prejudice against a member of a protective class. If the Hate Crime Review Committee finds an offense was committed based on a bias or prejudice towards the victim and a warrant is issued or an arrest is made, the Hate Crimes Review Committee informs the prosecutor’s office of their findings.  The prosecutor’s office makes the determination to enhance the criminal offense to a Hate Crime.

The committee meets monthly to review all possible hate crime incidents that occurred the month prior.  This allows the criminal investigators enough time to thoroughly investigate their case. 

In addition, extra patrol has been added to this area and the area command will be meeting with community members to build relationships, educate and address any questions they may have.

APD encourages everyone to educate, support, and respect all members of our community, regardless of their background or beliefs. We strongly condemn all forms of crime, especially those which are bias-motivated or showing of discrimination. Our department is committed to keeping our community safe and inclusive for all. We will continue to work to ensure that our community is a place where everyone feels valued and respected.

If you see something suspicious or are aware of any threats, remember to report it. We All Belong is a campaign the City of Austin launched to show how committed we are to ensuring we are a place that is diverse and hate is not tolerated.  To learn more about tools and resources available to report hate crimes and incidents, visit austintexas.gov/againsthate.