A hate crime investigation is currently under way at Calabasas High School in Los Angeles County, where many in the community were shocked to hear of the religiously motivated motivated attack on a high school student.
Matthew Babajouni, 17, said that his car was vandalized on school property while he was in class. When he returned to his vehicle, there was a swastika carved into the hood of his 2009 BMW. The Jewish boy said that this is not the first time he's seen this type of hatred against him. He says that he has endured harassment weekly, in which he has endured swastikas being drawn on his car with dust and with paint in the past.
While the incident is disturbing to many Calabasas community members, the vandalism sheds light on hate crimes. The mother of the victim, Sharouna Babadjouni, told CBS News that the Las Virgenes School District officials have been responsive and supportive. She and her son hope that the school will take steps to install security cameras in the parking lots and discuss tolerance at the school.
The Lost Hills Sheriff's Station is investigating the incident, but it might be difficult to find suspects for the crime if there were no witnesses or if there were no security cameras of the parking lot. If a person is wrongfully accused of committing the hate crime, then he or she can contact a criminal attorney in Los Angeles County with help proving that they're not guilty of the hate crime. Hopefully the hate crimes against Babadjouni will not continue and that the students at Calabasas High School will be able to learn something about tolerance.
- Swastika Found Carved into Car (Los Angeles Times)
- Hate Crime: The Violence of Intolerance (FindLaw)
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