Ala. Authorities Say Alleged Assault of White Family by Black Teens Is Not a Hate Crime

The police are continuing their investigation into an alleged attack on a white family by a group of black teens in Florence, Ala. Many people there want the authorities to label the incident a hate crime.

But the authorities are ruling out that possibility for now. Investigator Shannon Harris says the police don’t believe it was a hate crime. Instead, authorities will charge any suspects they arrest with misdemeanors: third-degree assault and third-degree criminal mischief, AL.com reports.

On June 5, a group of at least 20 black juveniles allegedly attacked a white man and his 14-year-old son at an outdoor family event called First Fridays. They are said to have assaulted the two for no apparent reason, taunting them with racial slurs while using a Taser on them and beating them up, according to WHNT-TV.

The group also allegedly smashed the rear window of the family’s vehicle, where the man’s wife and 4-year-old son sat. Kevin Dawes reportedly suffered a fractured eye socket and multiple Taser burns, and his teenage son suffered minor injuries. No suspects have yet been identified.

One popular conservative blogger used this headline to report the incident: “Black Mob Savagely Attacks White Family at Alabama First Friday Event … ‘Get That White!’” The comments posted below the article suggest that it gives voice to a sense of a double standard. Read more at AL.com and WHNT-TV.