Rutgers Islamic Student Center Vandalism: Man Charged with Federal Hate Crime
A man has been charged with a federal hate crime in connection with the vandalism and burglary of an Islamic student center at Rutgers University earlier this month.
Jacob Beacher, from New Brunswick, was arrested and is in federal custody, according to an email sent to the Rutgers community by Kenneth Cop, the chief of the Rutgers University Police Department.
The vandalism occurred in the early morning hours of April 10, which marked the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Surveillance footage showed Beacher walking toward the student center, known as CILRU, and allegedly breaking a window to unlock a deadbolt and get inside the building.
According to an FBI agent’s affidavit, Beacher caused an estimated $40,000 of damage, including the destruction of prayer stones and items containing language from the Qur’an. He also stole a Palestinian flag and a charity box.
Beacher has been federally charged with two counts: damage to religious property and making fraudulent statements. State charges are also pending, and the investigation is ongoing.
Kaiser Aslam, the Muslim chaplain at Rutgers, welcomed the charges and applauded the university for its support. He said that the center had not had any previous interactions with Beacher and that the vandalism may have been motivated by the center’s pro-Palestinian advocacy.
The university administration has condemned the act of violence and expressed support for the Muslim community, stating that such acts of hatred and bigotry have no place at Rutgers.
The incident has drawn strong reactions from public officials, including New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, who called it “disgusting.” The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations also welcomed the hate crime charge, saying that the university must act to protect Muslim and Palestinian students.
In the aftermath of the attack, the center has received immense support from the community, with some sending gifts to replace the damaged items.
