IRVINE, Calif. — The Los Angeles office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations is calling for an investigation into what it describes as an anti-Black hate crime targeting a University of California, Irvine, student, according to a press release issued Wednesday.
According to the CAIR-LA release, the incident occurred Feb. 27 near UCI’s Arroyo Vista Housing complex and involved a group of suspects alleged to have spat on, chased and assaulted the Black student while shouting racial slurs.
Additional reporting from CBS News Los Angeles, highlighting statements made by the university’s Black Student Union, indicates that five white teenagers riding electric bikes chased the student around the housing complex after a community event.
The UCI Black Student Union explained that the “situation escalated when one of the juveniles in the group attempted to ram the student off the road,” proceeding to use the front tire of his bike to hit the victim’s scooter and leg, resulting in “torn skin, bruising, and an infection of the victim’s ankle.”
The student was ultimately able to escape the group by running into the Rosa Parks House residence hall and contacting the local police department, the release states.
CBS News Los Angeles reports that the UCI Black Student Union said the student has been “placed on bed rest and has returned home because he no longer feels safe remaining on campus.”
The release notes that when UCI police responded to the scene, most of the suspects had already fled the area. However, officers were able to detain one individual in a parking structure near the scene.
CAIR-LA expressed solidarity with the student and the broader Black student community, emphasizing that racial harassment and violence continue to threaten the safety and dignity of students on college campuses statewide.
The release warns that hate-driven violence like this can have long-spanning repercussions, creating fear across campus communities if incidents are not met with accountability and stronger protections.
CAIR-LA Legal Director Amr Shabaik, Esq., also issued a statement acknowledging the continued risks Black students face in schools.
“This disturbing attack is a reminder that racism and hate continue to endanger African American students and undermine the safety of our campuses,” Shabaik said. “No student should have to fear being chased, assaulted, and subjected to racial slurs simply for existing in their own community.”
In his statement, Shabaik implored university officials and law enforcement to conduct a thorough investigation. CAIR-LA notes that this includes holding the perpetrators accountable and taking the necessary steps to ensure that Black students feel supported and safe on campus.
CAIR-LA also urged university administrators to work closely with student and community organizations to improve campus safety measures and address the underlying causes of persistent racial harassment.
Investigators are working to identify the remaining individuals involved; however, authorities only have partial descriptions of two other suspects. In the release, CAIR-LA encourages anyone with information about the incident to contact campus authorities.
As the investigation continues, the incident is raising broader concerns about the prevalence of racial harassment in schools, underscoring the importance of ensuring that students are able to exist safely on campus without fear of intimidation or violence.
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