(The Center Square) – Three Muslims who vandalized a church in Euless, Texas, argue doing so was their First Amendment right.
So far, jurors have disagreed, convicting one man, Raunaq Alam, of vandalism but not of a hate crime.
Alam was one of three charged in the vandalization of a nondenominational church, Uncommon Church in Euless, in Tarrant County last March. They are accused of spray-painting “expletive Israel” and affixing pro-Palestinian/Hamas stickers on the exterior of the church building, among other actions recorded on a church security camera.
District Attorney Phil Sorrells initially charged them with felony criminal mischief; the case was originally filed in County Criminal Court No. 5. The charges were later increased to a third-degree felony hate crime, which carries a sentence of two to 10 years in prison. It was increased to a hate crime because the perpetrators allegedly targeted a church because of religion, the prosecution argued. The case was also transferred to County Criminal Court No. 9 under Judge Brian Bolton.
Alam was the first to go to trial in mid-September and was found guilty on the criminal mischief charge. Bolton issued a sentence of five years probation. Alam was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and $1,700 in restitution to the church. His probation terms include serving 180 days in jail, conducting 180 hours of community service, undergoing regular drug and alcohol testing, wearing a GPS monitor and issuing an apology to the church.
Alam was next indicted on a charge of committing perjury and he faces a drug possession charge. His attorney argues he is being targeted, she told KERA News at a news conference.
Co-defendant Afsheen Khan was also charged with felony criminal mischief; her trial was Sept. 30. A third defendant, Julia Venzor, agreed to testify against Alam and Khan as part of a plea deal. She pleaded guilty in exchange for the deal, also receiving five years-probation, WFAA News reported.
The vandalism occurred after the church put up an Israeli flag to express solidarity with Israel after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack, Uncommon Church’s pastor, Brad Carignan, testified in court.
The case highlights a pattern in Texas where Christians, churches, Jews, synagogues and pro-Israel Americans have been targeted with unprovoked violence by Muslims.
In January 2022, a Pakistani Islamist held hostage Jewish parishioners at a Colleyville synagogue.
In 2023, two Hispanic Republicans in Texas’ congressional delegation were targeted by Hamas supporters, Republicans U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, The Center Square reported.
At least three public schools in Texas were identified by the Biden administration’s Department of Education last year for civil rights violations due to religious discrimination targeting Jewish students, The Center Square reported.
As antisemitic incidents escalated nationwide, pro-Palestinian/Hamas rioters called for the annihilation of Israel and protested Israel on college campuses, including in Texas.
In response, Gov. Greg Abbott directed Texas Department of Public Safety troopers to arrest them. Pro-Palestinian/Hamas rioters argue their actions are protected by the First Amendment, Abbott maintains that calling for the death of Jews is not protected speech. He also maintains that college rioters should be arrested and expelled and faculty espousing antisemitism should be fired.
Muslim groups sued Abbott last year, arguing his directive violated the First Amendment, The Center Square reported. Abbott, a former Texas Supreme Court justice and former Texas attorney general, maintains it does not.
Jewish groups also sued Muslim groups arguing they were knowingly providing “continuous, systematic, and substantial assistance to Hamas and its affiliates’ acts of international terrorism,” The Center Square reported.
In the wake of increased targeted violence against religious institutions and ahead of the second anniversary of the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks, Abbott this week directed enhanced security measures to be taken around places of worship, The Center Square reported. He and the Texas legislature have also advanced numerous efforts to combat antisemitism, including in Texas public schools and universities.
