Stanford University | Andriy Prokopenko | Getty Images
In what may have been a hate crime in California, a motorist struck an Arab Muslim student in the face before speeding and hitting them, according to Stanford University. Shortly before 2:00 p.m., the motorist said, “(expletive) you and your people,” before taking off. according to a news release from university police, on Friday, Nov. 3, at the Palo Alto campus. According to a previous press statement, the driver said, “(expletive) you people.”
In a statement from the Stanford Department of Public Safety, around 2 p.m. today, police were notified of a hit-and-run traffic incident that occurred at Campus Drive and Ayrshire Farm Lane, which is close to Bowdoin Lane. A pedestrian sustained injuries as a consequence of the event. Thankfully, the victim’s injuries do not pose a threat to her life. The California Highway Patrol is looking into this occurrence as well as any other traffic injury accidents that occur on campus. The victim’s account of the events led to the CHP looking into the incident as a possible hate crime. The motorist allegedly made eye contact with the victim, hit him with speed, and then drove off while yelling, “F*** you people,” according to the victim.
An Arab Muslim student at Stanford is the victim. According to reports, the suspect car is a black SUV with a tire attached to the rear. As more details on the suspect become available, they will be disclosed. We urge anyone who witnessed this event to come forward and provide law enforcement with any relevant information.
The driver, a Caucasian male in his mid-20s, is still wanted by the police. He is described as having short, dirty blonde hair, a short goatee, a gray shirt, and round-framed spectacles. According to the authorities, he was operating a black Toyota 4Runner, maybe from 2015 or earlier, with a tire installed on the back. The letters “M” and “J” might be on the car’s license plate.
According to a statement from university officials, the struck student is getting medical attention. Officials from the campus stated that the student’s wounds are not potentially fatal. “We are deeply troubled by this information about possible hate-motivated physical aggression on our campus,” Provost Jenny Martinez and President Richard Saller stated in a statement.
The statement declared that “violence on our campus is unacceptable.” In response to “heightened tensions related to the events in Israel and Gaza,” college administrators stated they had increased security around campus. “Hate-based violence is morally reprehensible, and we condemn it in the strongest terms.”
They further stated that “details about this occurrence will be released when they become available. The investigation into it is still underway. We are aware of the worry this tragedy has brought about. In order to guarantee everyone in our campus community’s safety and security, we will keep collaborating with law enforcement.”
Despite the fact that many members of the college community are experiencing “heightened anxiety and concern” at this time, according to university spokesperson Mara Vandlik, the number of hate crimes on campus “has not been a significant increase” as of now. Only a few of the incidents that several students claimed to have directly observed and thought to be hate crimes have been reported, they told The Daily.
“We have not personally witnessed any instances of aggression from our community, but we are aware that Islamophobia is still pervasive in the United States, and we are always saddened by news of discrimination,” Mandelshtam stated on The Daily.
According to Dayton, the university has not responded to allegations of Islamophobia with any “significant action.” He brought out the dearth of specifically designed materials for impacted pupils as well as “any plan to combat rising Islamophobia.”
A recently released page that “includes resources and information on campus events, safety, and well-being for students and other members of the campus community” was the basis of the university’s referral to The Daily.
As a Jewish student who supports Palestine, Dayton expressed concern about students “who advocate for Palestine are increasingly being labeled antisemitic themselves.” He added, “I find statements that equate criticism of Israel with antisemitism highly offensive.” Did I commit antisemitism against Jews because I denounced the murder of civilians?”
Under Protected Identity Harm (PIH), Stanford “continues to process and address incidents where a community member experiences harm because of who they are and how they show up in the world,” according to Vandlik. “We respond to incidents and offer support and care to the affected students, regardless of whether they fit the definition of a hate crime.”
Since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 and Israel bombed Gaza, there have been reports of antisemitic and anti-Arab hate crimes all around the world. Police want anybody with information to contact the Department of Public Safety at the school at 650-329-2413 or the California Highway Patrol at 650-779-2700. About 35 miles to the southeast of San Francisco sits Palo Alto.
For further information, call 650-329-2413 for the Department of Public Safety or 650-779-2700 for the CHP. In light of the elevated tensions resulting from the events in Israel and Gaza, Stanford is persisting in its efforts to maintain a safe and secure campus environment. This includes additional security that has been deployed at key locations on campus. If you ever have a concern for your personal safety, please call 911 or 9-911 from a campus telephone. This alert is being sent to you in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Act.
