Muslim Students Harassed During Fajr Prayer at USF in Florida; Police File Hate Crime Charges
Tampa (USA) | November 25, 2025 | DeccanLive.com
A shocking incident of Islamophobia took place at the University of South Florida (USF) where Muslim students were harassed during Fajr prayer. The disturbing act has sparked strong reactions and raised concerns over the rising hate toward Muslims in the United States.
According to reports, three men — Christopher Swachuk (Waco, Texas), Richard Penskoski (Canyon, Oklahoma) and Ricardo Yepez (Tampa) — approached Muslim students who were offering Fajr prayer at the Collins Boulevard Parking Garage. The men began shouting, using abusive and hateful language, and even waved a beacon light close to the students to disturb their prayer.
Videos shared online show how the men came extremely close to the students, even standing near their heads while they were in sujood. They also made insulting comments, including “Do you have a bomb?”, clearly trying to provoke and intimidate them.
One of the accused carried a box with the words “Kaaba 2.0 Jesus is Lord”, while another wore a thobe with “Jesus is God” printed on it, indicating that they intended to provoke religious tensions.
The Muslim students later said they were scared the men might physically harm them, but they still completed their prayer with patience and calmness.
Authorities have taken the matter seriously. Police have filed strong charges against all three men, treating the attack as a hate crime and a violation of religious freedom.
This incident highlights the growing concern of Islamophobia in the United States and the need for stronger laws to protect people’s right to practice their religion safely. Despite the harassment, the students showed great courage by completing their prayer, sending a message of peace and resilience.
