After allegedly stalking a couple in Santa Monica because they were wearing Star of David necklaces, threatening to kill them, and commanding his dog to bite one of them, a suspect was charged on Thursday - but not with a hate crime modifier, upsetting the victims' advocates.
Nay Min Tar was charged with one felony count of criminal threats and one count of misdemeanor battery, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, after an incident last Sunday in which Tar allegedly set his Cane Corso on a couple.
A friend of the victim, legal scholar Benjamin Basire, told The Jerusalem Post that Tar had targeted the pedestrian couple because they had been wearing Star of David necklaces and followed them for almost two blocks prior to the attack. He allegedly threatened to kill the couple.
"You’re a Zionist, mother f**king pedophile, mother f**king Jewish," the 49-year-old Illinois man said from his vehicle while waving a bat through the window, according to a video of the incident published by Basire. "Child killer!"
In Basire's video, Tar exited his vehicle, swinging his arms wildly and lunging at the couple.
"You're a genocider," Tar said repeatedly.
The suspect then returned to his car and collected his dog. According to the LA District Attorney's Office, Tar commanded his dog to chase and bite the male victim, resulting in the battery charge. The victim was treated at the scene for minor injury.
Basire said that the victim is recovering from multiple dog bites to his thighs and posterior, and the emotional trauma of the attack.
Circumstances clearly support hate crime modifier, Basire argues
Until now, the victims had not shared that they had been targeted because they were wearing stars of David necklaces, because they wanted to keep a degree of confidentiality. This changed after Tar was not charged with a hate crime modifier, which, according to Basire, shocked and outraged the victims. He advocated for the authorities to treat the incident as a hate crime, arguing that they believed the circumstances clearly supported this idea.
The Santa Monica Police Department said on Thursday that the lack of a hate crime enhancement did not mean that the reported rhetoric and conduct were acceptable, assuring that criminal threats were a serious charge.
“Hate has no place in Santa Monica,” SMPD Chief Darrick Jacob said in a statement. “We understand the fear and harm these incidents can create, not only for the victims, but for the broader community. Our responsibility is to respond quickly, document the facts thoroughly, and pursue accountability through the legal process.”
Tar pleaded not guilty and had his bail set to $2,500 ahead of his June 15 preliminary court hearing. The dog was taken into custody by Santa Monica Animal Control and transported to a local shelter.
“Our communities should be safe places for everyone to live, work, and enjoy without fear,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a statement. “Anyone making threats of violence should face swift and appropriate punishment, as this behavior often leads to further escalation."