Texas Stabbing of Palestinian American Investigated as Possible Hate Crime, Police Report

By Kanishka Singh and Julia Harte

Police in Austin, Texas, announced on Tuesday that they are investigating a reported stabbing of a Palestinian-American man over the weekend as a "bias-motivated incident," with a hate-crime panel set to review the case.

According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a group of Muslim Americans were returning home from a pro-Palestinian protest on Sunday when the suspect allegedly attacked their vehicle at a stop sign.

The suspect, identified by police as Bert James Baker, reportedly shouted slurs, attempted to tear a "Free Palestine" flag from the vehicle, and stabbed a 23-year-old Palestinian-American in the chest, as stated by CAIR.

The police did not release specific details about the victim. However, his father, Niza Doar, identified him as Zacharia Doar. Speaking at a press conference organized by CAIR on Tuesday, Niza mentioned that Zacharia had been trying to restrain Baker when he was stabbed and suffered a broken rib as a result.

Zacharia Doar had surgery and was recovering in the hospital, according to his father.

Baker was arrested on Sunday evening, booked into county jail, and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, the police reported on Tuesday. It is unclear if he has legal representation or when he would be available for comment.

A police statement indicated, "Based on the information we received, we believe the February 4, 2024, incident to be bias-motivated and will be reviewed by the Hate Crimes Review Committee."

Human rights advocates have noted an increase in Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian sentiment, and antisemitism in the United States, which they attribute to a violent incident involving Hamas on October 7 that resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities, based on Israeli reports.

Israel’s response has included extensive ground and air operations targeting Gaza, which, according to the local health ministry, has led to the deaths of over 27,000 people.

During the CAIR press conference, the victim’s father shared that Zacharia placed blame on President Joe Biden for the violence, relaying a message from his son: "’If you would have called for a ceasefire three months ago, this would have never happened.’"

Past incidents in the U.S. have included a November shooting that targeted three students of Palestinian descent in Vermont and the fatal stabbing of a 6-year-old Palestinian American in Illinois in October.

Additionally, on Tuesday, the Muslim Legal Fund of America reported that the U.S. Department of Education is investigating claims that Harvard University did not adequately protect pro-Palestinian students from threats. There is also an ongoing inquiry regarding similar concerns on behalf of Jewish students.