A church is a place of worship and peace but that was disrupted last Sunday.
WTNH Ch 8By: Olivia JacksonJune 28, 2023Two men were charged with trespassing after allegedly interrupting an Enfield church service with hate speech, town officials said.The service was held in honor of pride month on Sunday at Enfield Congregational, United Church of Christ.The Enfield town manager said police are investigating it as a potential hate crime.The church and neighbors gathered for a “love louder” vigil on Monday night. They heard from the mayor and other town leaders, all denouncing the interruption to the special service.According to the article there were also disruptions at the Juneteenth celebration.
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WFSB Ch3By Dylan FearonJune 26, 2023Police are looking into a potential hate crime after two people disrupted a church service that was celebrating Pride Month.It happened Sunday at a church in Enfield. Police found the two men.Police are investigating, but the pastor wants it to be clear.The two men didn’t bring weapons into the church and didn’t threaten anyone with violence, but they are banned from the church.“I’m thankful they’re sending people our way,” said Pastor Greg Gray of the Enfield Congregational United Church of Christ.After his service was disrupted Sunday, Gray knows security at houses of worship is important.“Those feel like they should be our safe spaces and when things like this happen it feels like a violation of our safe space, our home,” Gray said.
To all those who are mad because they haven’t been charged with a bias crime, I say slow down. They were charged with trespass because they don’t need to investigate that while a bias crime they have to investigate as to motive.
In another possible bias crime a Muslim woman was attacked attended a service marking Eid al-Adha.
A 30-year-old man was arrested, Hartford police said.NBC NewsBy Chantal Da SilvaJune 29, 2023A Connecticut state representative was assaulted after she attended a service marking Eid al-Adha in downtown Hartford on Wednesday, police and officials said."My heart is with Rep. Maryam Khan who was attacked today after attending Eid al-Adha services with her family," Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement on Twitter."It's disturbing to me that this happened on a holy day meant to be marked with peaceful prayer," he said.Khan’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.A 30-year-old man identified as Andrey Desmond, of New Britain, was arrested, Hartford police said in a news release.Officers were initially called to the downtown Hartford area just after 11 a.m. ET after they received a report that a man had assaulted a woman, police said. They arrived to find the man had been detained by civilian bystanders, and they later arrested him.
Once again a bias crime wasn’t made because they have to investigate the motive for the attack.
Police said Desmond faces charges including third-degree assault, unlawful restraint, breach of peace and interfering with police.Any potential motive was not immediately clear.Farhan Memon, the chair of the Connecticut Council on American-Islamic Relations, urged local, state and federal authorities to "investigate a possible bias motive for this attack and to ensure the safety of the Connecticut Muslim community during the ongoing Eid al-Adha celebrations."
Bias crimes go to motive. It has to be shown that the reason why they attacked was because of bias against a protective class. Just like murder is broken down by cause so are bias crimes. For a murder it could be accidental, or was carried out with intent but with no premeditation, or premeditated. It is all about motive just like with a bias crime.
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