A 19-year-old student from Indiana University was arrested over the weekend after allegedly attacking a Muslim woman, whilst screaming “white power” and “kill them all”.
Witnesses claim that Triceten Bickford began shouting racist abuse at the 47-year-old woman and her 9-year-old daughter while they sat inside the Sofra Cafe on Saturday night. The teen began screaming “white power” and kill them all” before attacking her, WTTV-TV reported.
Bickford slammed the woman’s head into the table and attempted to choke her whilst removing her headscarf. Her husband ran to her aid alongside another man after her screaming for help. The Indiana Daily Student reports that both men pinned Bickford to the ground as he spit in their faces and threatened them.
After his arrest, the teen kicked at the patrol car’s windows and bit an officer on the lower leg at the Monroe County jail.
Bickford faces the following charges: One count of intimidation, one count of public intoxication, two counts of misdemeanor battery, one count of felony-level battery, one count minor consumption of alcohol and one count strangulation.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim advocacy organization, urged for Monroe County officials to bring bias charges against the alleged assailant.
“We urge prosecutors to bring a ‘bias crime’ charge in this case as outlined under Indiana’s Criminal Code,” said CAIR’s Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. “We are concerned that the low bail in this case is an indication that it is not being taken as seriously as it should given the allegations of violence and the alleged bias motive.”
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Bickford’s bail was set at $2,000.
