Palestinian American’s Stabbing in Texas Classified as Hate Crime, Police Report By Reuters

By Kanishka Singh

The recent stabbing of a Palestinian-American man in Austin, Texas, is being characterized as a hate crime, with local prosecutors set to decide on potential charges, according to Austin police.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) reported that a group of Muslim Americans was returning home from a pro-Palestinian demonstration on Sunday when the assailant targeted their vehicle at a stop sign.

The suspect, identified by law enforcement as Bert James Baker, allegedly shouted abusive language and stabbed a 23-year-old Palestinian-American in the chest, as noted by CAIR.

Baker was taken into custody on Sunday, booked into county jail, and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, though he was unavailable for comment.

According to a police statement released on Wednesday, the police Hate Crimes Review Committee concluded that the incident qualifies as a hate crime, and local prosecutors will decide if any additional charges are warranted.

The victim’s father, Nizar Doar, revealed that his son, Zacharia Doar, suffered a broken rib while attempting to defend himself against Baker and has since undergone surgery.

Human rights activists have highlighted an increase in Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian sentiment, and antisemitism in the United States, which they attribute to escalated tensions following a Palestinian Hamas attack in Israel on October 7, resulting in around 1,200 deaths, according to Israeli sources.

In retaliation, Israel has conducted ground and air strikes on Gaza, leading to the reported deaths of over 27,000 individuals, based on figures from the local Palestinian health ministry.

There have been other concerning incidents in the U.S., including a November shooting involving three students of Palestinian descent in Vermont and the fatal stabbing of a 6-year-old Palestinian-American in Illinois in October.