Alleged racial attacks on white students at a middle school in Coconut Creek, Florida, have resulted in the arrest of five students and charges against them.
Several students from Lyons Creek Middle School were allegedly assaulted by their peers, according to reports from Broward County, Florida, which confirmed the arrests. Near the Coconut Creek Recreation Center is where the alleged attack took place. Students who allegedly assaulted the white students were “racially profiled” by Coconut Creek police, according to NBC Miami’s report, which stated that those who attacked the white students yelled “It’s the opposite day!’ and “Brown power!'” They claim that their assailants told them: “You are white,” as can be seen in the video embedded below from WSVN.
A group of middle school kids were arrested and charged with a hate crime after beating up a group of white kids yelling “you’re white, it’s opposite day” and “brown power.” pic.twitter.com/zikj5lBdSY
— Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) March 11, 2022
“The group looked at (the student) and stated ‘he is white,'” and another student “tackled him to the ground, which subsequently allowed the group of middle school kids to start beating him with their hands, feet, and phone chargers,” the arrest reports stated.
In one incident, a high school student told NBC Miami that he was “jumped” by classmates, who then punched and kicked him. “I put my hands up so they don’t hit my face,” he continued.
As he went on to explain, “They said after they jumped me that this is karma for what they did back in the 1700s for slavery.
Police and firefighters were called to an off-campus incident, Broward County Public Schools said in a statement. The principal of the school made a phone call to inform parents of the incident, saying that the school is committed to providing a safe and secure learning environment and that they will work to ensure that any off-campus incidents do not affect students at the middle school.”
“They can’t do anything to the other kids because it didn’t happen on school property,” Frank Foster, whose son is alleged to have been a victim, told NBC Miami.
The fact that he has so many friends who go there makes him want to return, but he is afraid to do so. Moving out “seems like a punishment,” but there’s an option.
“Snitch” text messages were sent to the middle schooler who did report the incident, according to Foster, who spoke to Local 10 about it. People at school have branded him a snitch because he reported the incident and did the right thing.
It’s hard for him to go back to school because some of those kids are in the same classes as him,” he said, “and he’s afraid.” Foster expressed his displeasure with the school for failing to do more to protect his students.
Arrest reports state in detail that the alleged attackers were assaulted “with prejudice,” which increases the charges to felonies. The 2021 Florida statutes state:
The penalty for any felony or misdemeanor shall be reclassified as provided in this subsection if the commission of such felony or misdemeanor evidences prejudice based on the race, color, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, homeless status, or advanced age of the victim.