Jacob Beacher, 24, has been charged with a federal hate crime – Provided by the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University
Editor’s note (April 1, 2025): Following the publication of this story, Beacher was sentenced to six months in prison, a year of supervised release, and ordered to pay over $19,000 in restitution. This was after he pleaded guilty to damaging religious property. Prosecutors agreed not to pursue additional charges for false statements in exchange for his plea.
A suspect has been arrested on federal hate crime charges for allegedly breaking into and damaging property at the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University. The incident occurred during Eid al-Fitr, a significant Islamic celebration marking the end of Ramadan.
Jacob Beacher, 24, was taken into custody on Monday morning and charged with obstruction of religious practice and making false statements to federal authorities. He is not associated with Rutgers University, according to a university spokesperson.
Beacher unlawfully entered the Islamic center on April 10 around 2:41 a.m., damaging various religious items, including prayer stones and artifacts containing holy scriptures from the Qur’an. He also reportedly stole a Palestinian flag and a charity box from the center, resulting in an estimated damage of $40,000.
Video surveillance captured Beacher near the center, and a donation box belonging to the center was later discovered at a nearby park. Cell-site data indicated Beacher’s presence at the park after the break-in.
Beacher is scheduled for an initial court appearance on Monday afternoon, according to the US Attorney’s Office.
Atiya Aftab, chair of the Islamic center, expressed relief that the suspect is in custody and reaffirmed the community’s determination to continue their mission despite the incident.
Rutgers University condemned the act of violence against the Muslim community, emphasizing the university’s stance against intolerance based on various factors.
The vandalism incident followed a period of heightened tensions following conflicts in the Middle East, resulting in increased attacks on Muslims and Arab Americans in the US. In 2023, there was a significant rise in complaints of anti-Muslim bias, as reported by CNN.
During the past year, a tragic incident occurred in October when a 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy in Chicago was fatally stabbed by his family’s landlord due to his Muslim faith, as reported by local police. In November, three Palestinian college students were shot while out for a walk in Vermont, resulting in one of them potentially facing paralysis.
