A 12-year-old girl in Connecticut is facing a hate crime charge after allegedly attacking twin Muslim sisters at their middle school. The incident occurred on March 3 at Wallace Middle School, specifically in the girls’ locker room during gym class.
According to police, the girl is charged with intimidation based on bigotry and bias in both the first and second degree. The attack involved her pulling off the hijabs of the twin sisters, who are 13 years old and new to the school. Reports indicate that one sister suffered a black eye, while the other had a cut on her neck.
Investigators believe the assault was motivated by the sisters’ religion and ethnicity, confirming it as a hate crime. This classification was supported by the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office. The Connecticut chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) stated that the twins had previously faced verbal harassment and threats since they started attending the school in October.
Farhan Memon, the chair of CAIR-CT, described how the accused student attacked the twins from behind and forcibly removed their hijabs. The parents of the victims reached out to CAIR for help, feeling that the school was not adequately addressing the situation or ensuring their daughters’ safety.
In addition to the 12-year-old girl, another student, aged 13, was also implicated in the assault but was directed to a youth diversionary program instead of facing charges. Due to the minors’ ages, their names have not been released.
In response to the incident, the Waterbury Department of Education has promised to implement enhanced safety measures and take further steps to protect students from bullying. The school is committed to ensuring a safer environment for all students moving forward.