‘Acts of hate’: man charged with hate crime for vandalizing Islamic Center

NEW JERSEY (PIX11) – A New Jersey man who broke into an Islamic center at Rutgers University has been charged with a federal hate crime, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke announced on Thursday.

Officials said Jacob Beacher, 24, pleaded guilty to the crime on Wednesday.

In April 2024, on the Muslim holiday of Eid-al-Fitr, Beacher forcibly entered the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University. Once inside the CILRU, he damaged property, including religious artifacts and numerous items containing the Islamic texts of the Qur’an. Beacher also stole a Palestinian flag and at least one charity box belonging to the center, according to court documents.

“This defendant is being held accountable for Islamophobic-fueled acts of hate, interfering with the religious freedom of university students and staff during a sacred holiday for those of the Islamic faith,” said Clarke. “Islamophobic hate crimes have no place in our society today.”

Beacher faces up to three years in prison. He will be sentenced at a later date, officials said.

Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here .

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