University of Texas at Austin stabbing

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University of Texas at Austin stabbing
Part of Israel-Hamas war
Image of the University campus
LocationUniversity of Texas at Austin, West Campus
DateFebruary 4, 2024 (2024-02-04)
TargetPro-Palestinian protesters
Attack type
Stabbing and assault
WeaponKnife
Deaths0
Injured1
PerpetratorBert James Baker
MotiveAnti-Palestinianism
ChargesAssault with a deadly weapon

On 4 February, 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.

Prelude[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ Alfonseca, Kiara (2023-11-15). "US extremists exploit Israeli-Palestinian tensions with calls for violence, hate: Experts". ABC News. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  3. ^ "Suspect arrested in Vermont shooting of 3 U.S. college students of Palestinian descent". NBC News. 2023-11-27. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ "Austin police say West Campus attack meets hate crime definition". KVUE. 2024-02-07. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  6. ^ "Stabbing of Palestinian American near the University of Texas meets hate crime standard, police say". Associated Press. 2024-02-07. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ Schnitker, Andrew (2024-04-23). "Man indicted in UT West Campus stabbing of Palestinian American". KXAN-TV. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  10. ^ MPAC (2024-02-07). "MPAC Concerned Over Continued Increase in Hate-motivated Attacks". Muslim Public Affairs Council. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  11. ^ 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.
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