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Police Investigate Attacks on Muslim Students at Three Universities Police Investigate Attacks on Muslim Students at Two Universities
(about 1 hour later)
Officials at universities in Louisiana and California said the police were investigating at least three attacks on Wednesday against female Muslim students, with officials describing one of the episodes as a “hate crime.” Officials at universities in California said the police were investigating two attacks on Wednesday against female Muslim students, with officials describing one of the episodes as a “hate crime.”
The attacks, coming the day after the nation voted to elect Donald J. Trump, underscored the criticism he had faced throughout his presidential campaign from opponents who said his harsh anti-Muslim language was emboldening extremists.The attacks, coming the day after the nation voted to elect Donald J. Trump, underscored the criticism he had faced throughout his presidential campaign from opponents who said his harsh anti-Muslim language was emboldening extremists.
On Wednesday night, San Jose State University police said in a campuswide e-mail that they were investigating an attack against a female student. A man had approached her from behind earlier in the afternoon and pulled at her hijab, choking her and throwing her off balance, the e-mail said. On Wednesday night, San Jose State University police said in a campuswide email that they were investigating an attack against a female student. A man had approached her from behind earlier in the afternoon and pulled at her hijab, choking her and throwing her off balance, the email said.
“He caused me to choke, and my back arched,” the student, 19-year-old Esra Altun told NBC Bay Area on Thursday. “I tried to pull away from him. I fell on my knees. He didn’t say anything. He ran away as I hit the floor.”“He caused me to choke, and my back arched,” the student, 19-year-old Esra Altun told NBC Bay Area on Thursday. “I tried to pull away from him. I fell on my knees. He didn’t say anything. He ran away as I hit the floor.”
No arrests have been made, but the investigation is ongoing, school spokeswoman Pat Harris said in an e-mailed statement. No arrests have been made, but the investigation is ongoing, school spokeswoman Pat Harris said in an emailed statement.
“We are, of course, very concerned that this has occurred on our campus,” she said. “No one should experience this kind of behavior at San Jose State.”“We are, of course, very concerned that this has occurred on our campus,” she said. “No one should experience this kind of behavior at San Jose State.”
A Muslim student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette told the police on Wednesday morning that she was walking when a car pulled up to her, and two white men stepped out and attacked her, according to an email sent by the university to students, faculty and staff. The San Diego State University police said they were investigating a similar attack, which they described as a “hate crime.”
The men, one of whom was wearing a white hat emblazoned with “Trump,” hit her with a metal object, dropping her to the ground, she said. While she was down, the student said, they stole her head covering and wallet. A student who was wearing a traditional garment and a hijab reported that while she was walking to her car, two men — one white and one Hispanic — confronted her and made comments about Mr. Trump and Muslims, according to a police summary.
University officials did not comment on the attack, but confirmed the details of the email, which was sent just before 8 p.m. on Wednesday, and that the police were investigating. The victim was not identified.
The Lafayette Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In California, the San Diego State University police said they were investigating a similar attack, which they described as a “hate crime.”
A student who was wearing traditional garments and a hijab reported that while she was walking to her car, two men — one white and one Hispanic — confronted her and made comments about Mr. Trump and Muslims, according to a police summary.
The student reported that the men had grabbed her purse and backpack and had taken her car keys before fleeing. She was not injured. The unidentified victim alerted the police and led them back to the scene, discovering that her car was gone.The student reported that the men had grabbed her purse and backpack and had taken her car keys before fleeing. She was not injured. The unidentified victim alerted the police and led them back to the scene, discovering that her car was gone.
In a joint statement, the university president, Elliot Hirshman; the vice president for student affairs, Eric Rivera; and the interim police chief, Josh Mays, said: “We condemn this hateful act, and urge all members of our community to join us in condemning such hateful acts.”In a joint statement, the university president, Elliot Hirshman; the vice president for student affairs, Eric Rivera; and the interim police chief, Josh Mays, said: “We condemn this hateful act, and urge all members of our community to join us in condemning such hateful acts.”
“Hate crimes are destructive to the spirit of our campus, and we urge all members of our community to stand together in rejecting hate.”“Hate crimes are destructive to the spirit of our campus, and we urge all members of our community to stand together in rejecting hate.”
A third attack, reported on Wednesday by an 18-year-old Muslim woman in Lafayette, La., fell apart by midday Thursday, the police said.
“This entire story was fabricated; she admitted that to our detectives,” said Cpl. Karl Ratcliff, a spokesman for the Lafayette Police Department. The department is no longer investigating the report, he said.
The woman had claimed that two men, one of them wearing a white “Trump” hat, had hit her with a metal object and robbed her of her head covering and wallet. University officials had notified the campus of the attack in an email on Wednesday.
After the election, universities also reported campus graffiti referring to Mr. Trump and some of the themes he has espoused.After the election, universities also reported campus graffiti referring to Mr. Trump and some of the themes he has espoused.
New York University’s Muslim Students Association said on its Facebook page that students at the Tandon School of Engineering awoke on Wednesday to find “Trump” scrawled on the door of their prayer room, adding that they are “realizing that our campus is not immune to the bigotry that grips America.”New York University’s Muslim Students Association said on its Facebook page that students at the Tandon School of Engineering awoke on Wednesday to find “Trump” scrawled on the door of their prayer room, adding that they are “realizing that our campus is not immune to the bigotry that grips America.”
The Louisiana campus was also hit by “Trump” graffiti on the day of the attack on the Muslim student.
In Wisconsin, the beating death in October of a Saudi student, Hussain Saeed Alnahdi, 24, who had been enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, is still unsolved. He was attacked outside a pizza restaurant, and the killing shocked the university campus where the 9,600 students include a tight-knit group of 142 from Saudi Arabia.In Wisconsin, the beating death in October of a Saudi student, Hussain Saeed Alnahdi, 24, who had been enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, is still unsolved. He was attacked outside a pizza restaurant, and the killing shocked the university campus where the 9,600 students include a tight-knit group of 142 from Saudi Arabia.