12 students from Salisbury University in Maryland face hate crime charges after allegedly luring a gay man to an off-campus apartment under false pretences, imprisoning him, and brutally assaulting him. As reported by The Guardian, according to police, the students created a fake profile on the popular dating app Grindr, promising the victim sex with a 16-year-old, to lure him to the apartment.

Once inside, the man was ambushed by a group of “college-aged males” who dragged him to a chair in the living room, punching, kicking, spitting on him, and hurling anti-gay slurs. The victim suffered extensive bruising and a broken rib, police said. The victim did not initially come forward, fearing retaliation, since he was supposed to have sexual intercourse with a 16-year-old. However, authorities identified him after tracing his car from footage showing it leaving the scene.

The alleged attack only came to light on 15 October 2024, when witnesses reported seeing cellphone footage of the assault. The students, who have since been suspended from the university, are also charged with assault and false imprisonment.

“This is not a hate crime,” insisted Steve Rakow, the attorney for one of the accused, alleging the victim had arrived at the apartment intending to meet a teenager. Maryland’s age of consent is 16.

Salisbury University President Carolyn Ringer Lepre condemned the attack, stating: “We are witnessing a campus filled with anguish that something so unspeakable could happen from within the community that we all love.” The university official also announced a new task force focused on LGBTQIA+ inclusiveness.

Rakow accused the university of acting prematurely by suspending the students before gathering all the facts. “Apparently, due process doesn’t apply to academia,” the lawyer stated.

In 2023, the FBI reported that hate crimes in the US had surged to a record high, reflecting a troubling trend of increased bias-motivated incidents across the country.

Nonetheless, a joint report by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and GLAAD highlights the alarming rise in anti-LGBTQ+ hate. Between June 2022 and April 2023, over 350 incidents of harassment, vandalism, and assault were documented, directly linked to a surge in extremist rhetoric and anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation. Of these, 305 were acts of harassment, 40 were vandalism, and 11 involved physical assault. The findings underscore the troubling reality that false narratives and targeted hostility continue to fuel violence against marginalised communities.