Men charged with hate-crime for harassing Muslim students during prayer at USF

A hostile group of men violently confronted Muslim students praying at the University of South Florida. The incident captured in videos showed them shouting slurs, waving bacon and closing in on the worshippers during dawn prayer.

Videos of the incident showed a group of Christian supremacists  yelling insults, brandishing bacon and closing in on the worshippers as they prayed.

The trio has been charged under Florida’s hate-crime enhancement law with a felony count of disrupting schools and religious gatherings, in addition to misdemeanors for disorderly conduct and interfering with a school or lawful assembly. 

Police later identified the suspects as Christopher Svochak from Waco, Texas; Richard Penskoski of Canyon, Oklahoma; and Tampa resident Ricardo Yepez, according to the reports.

Authorities filed the charges after a multi-day investigation launched when videos surfaced showing the men confronting students during the fajr prayer on the roof of the Collins Boulevard Parking Garage.

One of the men held a cardboard sign that read “Kaaba 2.0 Jesus is Lord,” while another wore a thobe with the words “Jesus is God” printed on it.

According to students’ accounts shared on Reddit, the group stood just inches from the worshippers, hurled insults such as “Bow down to Lord Jesus Christ” and “Your prophet married a 6-year-old,” and waved bacon at them immediately after they finished praying.

Footage posted on YouTube shows members of a group identifying themselves as “Warriors for Christ” approaching the Muslim students as they prayed.“They walked so close to our heads while we were bowing that we genuinely feared they might step on us,” said student Abu Tahir.

In one of the clips, one of the men later charged with hate crimes can be seen holding bacon and taunting the students.

Local leaders met on Friday at the Islamic Society of Tampa Bay Area to condemn the incident.

Hillsborough County Commissioner Harry Cohen described the conduct as “outrageous,” stressing that “no one in the United States should face assault while practicing their constitutionally protected freedoms.” He added that such actions are “unacceptable in any respectable, law-abiding community.”

Commissioner Gwen Myers emphasized that the Muslim community is an integral part of the county, saying, “We cannot allow this, and we will not allow this. That’s why we’re here — to stand with them.”

The Muslim Student Association noted that no university personnel were present when the confrontation occurred. Its president, Malak Albustami, called on university leadership to take stronger action.