Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Four Staten Island Teens Arrested for Anti-Muslim Hate Crime
By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 11, 2010
Modified Oct 11, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 11, 2010
Modified Oct 11, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Staten Island: #1 in hate! Three 14-year-old Hispanic students and one 15-year-old black student on Staten Island were arrested yesterday and charged with assault and aggravated harassment as a hate crime. This makes the 12th bias crime allegation (many have been assaults on Mexicans) on Staten Island since April, the Staten Island Advance reports, making 2010 a record-breaking year for hate crime. In this case, the boys are accused of repeatedly assaulting a Muslim classmate, in one instance beating him so severely that there was blood in his urine and the boy suffered headaches and memory loss.
The NYPD did not release the names of the suspects, but the victim's first name, Kristian, was published in a lengthy article in the Advance this weekend. "They called me a Muslim terrorist," Kristian told the Advance. "That I came to this country to blow down houses and buildings because I have long hair." The abuse, which included punches to the groin and head, and spitting in the face, was allegedly so relentless that Kristian's mother would sometimes find her son rocking back and forth, muttering, "Why me? What did I ever do to them?" "I was shocked," said his mother. "He used to talk and laugh. Now he has no emotion."
The alleged abuse took place from October 2009 to June 2010 at Markham Intermediate School, and Kristian explains, "They took advantage of me because I was quiet." When Kristian moved on to Port Richmond High School, he says his tormentors followed him there. Now he's refusing to go back to school. His father says, "Sometimes we can't even get him to talk to us. What they did to him was really horrible. The therapist says it's going to take a very long time for him to come back to being normal again." To recap, two Staten Island men are accused of beating a gay man at the Stonewall Inn, Mexicans have been repeatedly targeted in hate crimes, gay men were assaulted outside a White Castle, and many Staten Island residents hate mosques.
Tagged
bias attack
hate crime
islamophobia
port richmond
staten island
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Woman whose body was found in Brooklyn garbage can was strangled, medical examiner says
Police hadn't previously ruled the woman's death a homicide, pending the medical examiner ruling.
By
Charles Lane
Published Oct 13, 2026 at 12:57 p.m. ET
New York Public Radio CEO steps down after 8 months on job
Chief executive Christy Tanner is resigning after just eight months at the helm. New York Public Radio is the parent organization for WNYC and Gothamist.
By
Liam Quigley
News
New York Public Radio CEO steps down after 8 months on job
Chief executive Christy Tanner is resigning after just eight months at the helm. New York Public Radio is the parent organization for WNYC and Gothamist.
By
Liam Quigley
Early Addition: Can't stop the sticker bombers
By
James Ramsay
Cyclist dies in wrong-way crash with an ambulance on Staten Island
By
Brittany Kriegstein
With election 3 weeks away, Hochul and Blakeman to square off in lone NY governor debate
By
Jon Campbell
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .