Student, 12, accused of hate crime after school fight where two students ‘had hijabs ripped off'
A middle schooler in Connecticut has been accused of committing a hate crime after a fight with two Muslim students, where they were allegedly beat up.
The 12-year-old female student from Wallace Middle School in Waterbury was charged with intimidation based on bigotry and bias in the first- and second-degree on Friday through a court-issued summons to Waterbury Juvenile Court following the incident which took place earlier this month.
According to reports, the 12-year-old and another female student got into a fight with twin 13-year-old girls who are from Egypt and regularly wear hijabs to school on March 3.
One victim was allegedly 'punched in the face and had bruises on her face and a bloody nose' while the other victim 'had something scraped across her neck' which caused 'contusions and bruising,' the chairperson of the local Council of American–Islamic Relations chapter claimed.
"On Monday, March 3, the sisters were beaten and had their hijabs ripped off, a spokesperson for the family said at the time, according to local reports.
While the initial incident report claimed no students needed medical attention, the report from the Islamic advocacy group said the injuries were enough to require hospital treatment.
'Investigators determined that the altercation was motivated by religion and/or ethnicity, meeting the legal definition of a hate crime,' the Waterbury State's Attorney Office said in a joint press release.
The City of Waterbury Department of Education said it has taken disciplinary action and enhanced school safety measures.
The other female student involved in the fight was referred to a youth diversionary program as an alternative to arrest.
Leaders in the community and the school praised investigative efforts in a joint press release and contended that the incident was isolated.
'The students who instigated the incident will be properly disciplined by the school district and face appropriate consequences in the judicial system,' Mayor Paul Pernerewski said. 'While this is an isolated incident, I remain committed to working with the Waterbury Police and the Education Department to ensure our students have a safe and welcoming educational experience.'
Farhan Memon, the chairperson of the Connecticut chapter of the Council of American–Islamic Relations disputed whether it was ioslated.
'We vehemently disagree with Waterbury's assessment that this was an isolated case. We've heard from other parents of Muslim students that their kids have been harassed because of their religion,' Memon said.
Memon told WTNH News8 on March 11 that the two girls were 'scared to go back to school' due to the assault.
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Raisi later won the presidency in 2021, but was killed in a helicopter crash in 2024. Fame in Turkey, prison back in Iran In 2018, Tataloo — who faced legal problems in Iran — was allowed to leave the country for Turkey, where many Persian singers and performers stage lucrative concerts. Tataloo hosted live video sessions as he rose to fame on social media, where he became well-known for his tattoos covering his face and body. Among them are an Iranian flag and an image of his mother next to a key and heart. Instagram deactivated his account in 2020 after he called for underage girls to join his 'team' for sex. He also acknowledged taking drugs. 'Despite being a controversial rapper, Tataloo has quite the fanbase in Iran, known as 'Tatalities,'' said Holly Dagres, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near-East Policy. 'Over the years, they've flooded social media with messages of solidarity for him and even campaigned for the rapper's release in the past when he was detained on separate charges.' Tataloo's rebellious music struck a chord with disenfranchised young people in Iran as they struggled to find work, get married and start their adult lives. He also increasingly challenged Iran's theocracy in his lyrics, particularly after the death of Amini following her arrest over allegedly not wearing the hijab to the liking of authorities. His collaboration 'Enghelab Solh" — 'Peace Revolution' in Farsi — called out Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by name. 'We don't want tear gas, because there are tears in everyone's eyes,' he rapped. But the music stopped for Tataloo in late 2023. He was deported from Turkey after his passport had expired, and was immediately taken into custody upon arrival to Iran. Death sentence draws protests Tehran's Criminal Court initially handed Tataloo a five-year sentence for blasphemy. Iran's Supreme Court threw out the decision and sent his case to another court, which sentenced him to death in January. The rapper already faced ten years in prison for a string of separate convictions, including promoting prostitution and moral corruption. 'Tataloo is at serious risk of execution,' Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the director of advocacy group Iran Human Rights, said in a statement. 'The international community, artists and the public must act to stop his execution.' Tataloo earlier expressed remorse at a trial. 'I have certainly made mistakes, and many of my actions were wrong,' he said, according to the state-owned Jam-e Jam daily newspaper. 'I apologize for the mistakes I made.' Tataloo married while on death row, his uncle said. Last month, Tataloo reportedly attempted to kill himself, but survived. 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