SPE vs Mohammed: more trouble at Tufts

[hoosier]

May 02, 2005
Student alleges assault by members of Sig Ep
by Jillian Harrison and Mark Pesavento
Daily Editorial Board

One Tufts student is pursuing charges through the Dean of Students office stemming from an incident which he alleges occurred in front of the Sigma Phi Epsilon (Sig Ep) fraternity house.

Junior Riyadh Mohammed alleges that the incident was racially motivated. According to Mohammed, he was escorting his girlfriend home and walking by the Sig Ep house on 114 Curtis St. in the early morning hours of April 30 when someone called him "an Indian." When he replied that he was not an Indian, but rather an Arab, an unknown person allegedly called Mohammed a number of racial slurs, including "terrorist." Mohammed is the president of the Arab Students Association (ASA).

According to an anonymous Sig Ep alumnus, who came upon this incident as he exited the fraternity house, the incident appeared to have concluded by the time police had responded to it. "Riyadh went home," he said, and it seemed to be "the end of the situation."

After dropping his girlfriend off, Mohammed returned to the Sig Ep house. "I wanted to educate him [whoever had used the racial slurs] about what it means to be an Arab and how that is different from being a terrorist," Mohammed said.

According to Mohammed, he approached the fraternity house and the three fraternity members standing on the porch. He said that this second encounter soon turned physical and that he was attacked by these Sig Ep members.

Mohammed alleges that he was knocked to the ground and kicked by the three members and that a series of head injuries resulted in his temporary unconsciousness.

"When I came to, they were dragging me into [the Sigma Phi Epsilon house], pleading with me not to call the police," Mohammed said. "There was no way I wasn't going to call the police."

A report regarding the incident was filed with the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) on the morning of April 30. According to the report, Mohammed placed a call at approximately 2:49 a.m. claiming that he was the victim of an assault that took place in front of the fraternity house.

Three TUPD units, including members of Tufts Emergency Medical Systems (TEMS), responded to the scene of the incident. TEMS subsequently evaluated Mohammed, who refused further medical treatment.

It is Mohammed's belief that the brothers assaulted him on the basis of ethnic differences. As he was physically attacked, he alleges, the brothers called him a "Saddam supporter," "terrorist," and "Iraqi."

While the alumnus confirmed that Mohammed had been on the ground, he said that Mohammed was conscious and talking throughout the confrontation. "He was not unconscious at any point and I don't think anyone kicked him," he said.

The alumnus denies that any physical results of this confrontation were racially motivated on the part of the Sig Ep members. "The second incident was not racially motivated in any way," he said. "If this was a racist incident in any way, I would be on his side, without a doubt."

"I tried to talk to him and calm him down," the alumnus said. "I felt like I could relate to him because we're both minorities ... but I didn't really get the chance because things got a little out of control.

"No one tried to keep him from calling the police," the alumnus said. "And I don't think he ever made it into the house." He gave Mohammed his ID so that Mohammed would know who he was, at which point, Mohammed snapped the alumnus' ID card in half.

Mohammed acknowledged that he destroyed the ID card "out of anger."

The alumnus said he understood why Mohammed was upset, because the alumnus was aware that a racial slur had allegedly been used towards Mohammed at the earlier incident. However, the two other Sig Ep brothers on the porch during the second altercation were neither present at nor aware of the first incident.

The alumnus, who is of Indian descent, said that Mohammed was verbally abusive towards him, and that Mohammed called him an "Indofuck" during the second altercation. According to the alumnus, Mohammed was "belligerent" and "drunk" at this point.

The alumnus also said that while Mohammed was speaking with him, Mohammed got closer and closer to him. That, he said, is when Mohammed was knocked to the ground by one of the Sig Ep members.

Mohammed identified this Sig Ep brother as freshman William Toner.

While Mohammed refused medical attention at the time, he did seek medical help the following day at Health Services as well as the New England Medical Center (NEMC) where he received a CAT scan. He also complained of rib pain and was given painkillers for a bruised jaw.

The alleged incident has provoked a quick response from the members of the fraternity, who have chosen to deactivate one member, who they determined was involved.

"We have identified that the incident took place in front of 114 Curtis Street, and that the assailant was one of our members," Sig Ep President Pat Willis said in an e-mail. "This member's actions were not reflective of the values and beliefs of [Sigma Phi Epsilon]. [Sigma Phi Epsilon] does not condone this brother's actions. We have decided to deactivate this brother."

Willis said that he could not comment on what may have happened to Mohammed. "Because I was not present at the time of the incident, I cannot accurately answer that question," he said.

According to TUPD Sergeant Doug Mazzola, the case is still pending investigation and no one is in custody at this time.

"We have several witnesses' names from the fraternity," Mazzola said. "They are cooperating with the investigation."

Dean of Students Bruce Reitman has said that the administration will not tolerate such incidences of bias.

"We, as a university community, take bias incidences and assaults that are based on what appears to be, in this case, ethnic bias, very seriously," Reitman said.

Reitman said he has talked with Mohammed as well as his family since the incident has taken place.

"If it's found that Tufts students did what he alleges, very serious disciplinary action will result," Reitman said. "[The incident] is heinous and unacceptable, and we'll do the very best we can to track down the perpetrators."

Mohammed said he would take every measure possible to ensure that the students involved are punished to the full extent of the law.

"I want to see the students expelled," Mohammed said.

According to Mohammed, at least one of the accused, Toner, is a freshman who has just recently been initiated into the fraternity. To Mohammed's knowledge, another suspect is an alumnus of Tufts.

Willis declined to confirm or deny this.

TUPD officers said they could not confirm a set number of assailants.

"Since I can't get the University to go after [the alumnus], I will go to Somerville Police Department later this week," Mohammed said.

Mohammed said he is most troubled by the remaining fraternity brothers' apparent lack of concern for his well-being when he was taken into the house.

"The frat is too consumed with their false ideals of brotherhood and they inadvertently overlooked my well-being as well as the image of the University," Mohammed said. "I hold the frat accountable. They begged me not to call the cops because [the incident] was a hate crime."