Maryland, My Maryland

From Robert Spencer at PJ Media, Yet Another Hate Crime Hoax, This Time in Maryland

This latest hoax started on Nov. 16 on The Commons at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), where, according to UMBC Police Chief Paul Dillon, “a student reported to a Commons staff member that an unknown male attempted to remove her hijab. UMBC Police are investigating, and the Division of Student Affairs is reaching out to students most directly impacted as well as shared governance leaders in our community.”

Dillon asked the UMBC community to come forward if they had any information about this crime, and reminded the racist, redneck yahoos roaming around Baltimore that “UMBC students, faculty, staff members or visitors who choose to violate relevant policies and laws are solely responsible for their actions.” This apparently needed to be said in order to try to quell any riots that might break out over the “hate crime.” Dillon assured UMBC that justice would be done, regardless of the perception of “systemic racism” that had been reinforced by the hate crime itself: “University authorities will make every effort to sanction individuals who violate those policies and laws.”

The intrepid guardian of justice also felt it necessary to make sure everyone understood that UMBC was against hate crimes: “Such incidents are inconsistent with UMBC values, including our community’s respect for diversity and inclusion.” In fact, UMBC was institutionally against such crimes: “Students in need of support can contact i3b – Initiatives for Identity, Inclusion & Belonging.” This campus office, also located in The Commons, declares proudly that “UMBC is one of the most diverse campuses in the nation, and we value the richness that such diversity brings to campus life. The Initiatives for Identity, Inclusion & Belonging creates opportunities for students to build their awareness and knowledge of diverse people, cultures, and belief systems. Through facilitated discussions, informal gatherings, educational engagements, presentations, and campus-wide events, individual students, student organizations, and classes learn the skills to create inclusive, just and mutually respectful communities at UMBC and beyond.”
. . .
But as is so often the case, there wasn’t anything for Leftists or members of the Left’s favorite religion to fear at all, and yet again no sign of anyone being “constantly under oppression.” The College Fix reported on the Tuesday before Christmas that UMBC has ended its investigation of the incident, as video footage of the place where the assault was claimed to have taken place showed no sign of any such incident. Campus police officer Bruce Perry wrote in the police report that he and a detective “reviewed the camera footage of the area where this incident was reported to have happened. We watched from 5 pm up until the point it was reported to the Commons information desk. We did not [see] [redacted] on the footage during that time.”

Perry contacted the woman who had made the initial complaint and “asked her if [she] wanted to come in [and] give a statement about what happened. She indicated that she would come in and provide a statement if there is video of the incident.” However, she didn’t do so, and so lacking any further leads, UMBC ended its investigation.

Hate crimes are in such demand that people have to manufacture them, like antiques.