A 24-year-old New Jersey man has been charged with a federal hate crime after allegedly breaking into and vandalizing Rutger University’s Islamic student center during Eid al-Fit earlier this month.
Jacob Beacher, 24, of Somerset County, has been arrested and charged with one count of intentional or attempted obstruction of religious practice and one count of making false statements to federal authorities, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey announced on Monday.
The incident took place in the early mornings hours of April 10 on Eid al-Fitr, a three-day religious festival among Muslims to celebrate the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Beacher, who resides in North Plainfield, New Jersey, is not a Rutgers student nor has he ever been affiliated with the university, a univeristy spokesperson confirmed.
Beacher allegedly broke into the rear door of the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University in the New Brunswick campus around 2:41am on April 10, according to the criminal complaint. Prosecutors alleged that he vandalized the Islamic center’s property and several of its religious artificats, such as Turbah prayer stones and art sculptures inscribed with Qur’an verses. He also allegedly stole a Palestinian flag and a charity box from the student center, according to prosecutors.
The FBI used surveillance camera that showed Beacher walking nearby the area of the student center, and he was also seen using his bicycle to go from the center towards Buccleuch Park in New Brunswick. The charity box was later found four days later at the park about a half mile from campus, and historical cell-site data showed that Beacher’s phone was located at the same park shortly after the break-in.
The current estimate of the damage that Beacher allegedly caused was approximately $40,000, according to prosecutors, which prompted the center’s chaplain to cancel all Eid-al-Fitr religious celebrations. The center was closed on both April 11 and April 12, but resumed operations afterwards.
When Beacher was interviewed by investigators two days after the break-in, he admitted to walking and biking near the student center on April 10 but lied that he did not break into it. Beacher was scheduled to appear in federal court in Newark on Monday afternoon, the US Attorney’s Office said in a press release.
Atiya Aftab, chair of the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University, praised federal and state law enforcement for their handling of the investigation.
“We have been kept apprised of the investigation as it took place and we express a sense of relief and safety knowing that the suspect is in custody. We look forward to the process of justice being meted out,” the center said in a statement on Facebook.
The center also applauded the Rutgers community for their outpouring of support and donations to help replace the stolen and damaged items.
This incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East after the October 7 terror attack, which killed around 1,200 people and roughly 240 hostages were held captive by Hamas militants. The conflict since then have exacebrated a wave of anti-Muslim rhetoric and anti-Palestinian bias in the United States. The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, have received 8,061 complaints of anti-Muslim hate incidents in 2023 , which marks a 56% jump compared to the previous year.
In October, a 71-year-old landlord was charged with a hate crime in Chicago for stabbing a six-year-old Palestinian-American boy to death in an anti-Muslim attack.
“This incident did not occur in a vacuum. We condemn those that are stoking lies and hate on our campus and those who are engaging in doublespeak that have led to this violence, other acts of hate and bigotry on our campus and in particular against our students,” the center said in a statement.
