Authorities and advocates say a 12-year-old student faces hate crime charges for allegedly participating in an attack on a twin Muslim student at Connecticut middle school. The physical dispute occurred earlier this month at Wallace High School in Waterbury, Connecticut.
According to the Waterbury Police Department, the defendant was charged with intimidation based on paranoia and prejudice by subpoenaing to the juvenile court.
Police said in a statement that investigators investigated the March 3 incident “determines the motives of the dispute as a result of religion and/or race, which fits the definition of hate crime.” They also said the Waterbury State Attorney’s Office reviewed and confirmed the classification.
Another 13-year-old student accused of being accused of a dispute was called a youth transfer program, rather than arrested, “based on her participation in the incident.” Police said their investigation included interviews with students and staff at the school “present or otherwise involved.”
The student's name was not published by the authorities.
According to the Connecticut chapter of the U.S. Council on Islamic Relations, students aim to wear a hijab. Cair's Chair Farhan Memon explained the incident in an interview with Fox Member Station WTIC-TV. CAIR will refer the interview to its social media platforms and websites, as well as information about the so-called attacks.
The two sisters suffered injuries during the dispute, which police described as minors. According to police, they did not need immediate treatment at the scene of the attack, but Kyle said the injury was “severe enough to require treatment in the hospital.” The group advocates Muslim civil rights and opposes Islamophobia in a Facebook article on March 12 called the attack “brutal”.
“The victim's parents seek assistance from CAIR because they believe they have not received enough communication from the school about disciplinary action against the perpetrators, or a clear plan to ensure the safety of their daughters,” the group said.
Police said the Waterbury Department of Education has now acknowledged the incident as bullying, adding that education officials “have taken disciplinary action and have taken enhanced school safety measures against the incident.”
“While this is not part of a common problem, it is an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to ensure that our students are safe and respectful to each other,” Darren Schwartz, interim principal of Waterbury Public Schools, said in a statement.
The Waterbury Police Commissioner said in another statement that his department is committed to earnestly claiming for prejudice-related incidents and added the investigation, “reaffirming our commitment to maintaining a safe and inclusive school environment.”
CBS News contacted Waterbury's police and education department for more information, but did not hear it immediately.
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