There were 21 campus hate crime hoaxes uncovered this year.
A hate crime hoax occurs when a person admits to fabricating the attack or something that appears criminal turns out to not be, such as a noose that is really just a garage pulley at a NASCAR race. It can also include situations where the given facts suggest no one intended to harm someone on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, or religion.
1. Police charge ‘black feminist theory’ PhD with theft for fundraising on false brick attack
Police accused Roda Osman, a University of Texas-Austin graduate student, of theft after she raised $40,000 on the pretense she was the victim of assault. Rather, video shows her taking the first swing during an argument. She disputes the criminal charges.
2. Illinois State University can’t ‘verify the use of a racial slur’ by a fan
After interviewing 47 people and reviewing hours of footage, the public university in Normal said in January it could not “verify the use of a racial slur” by a basketball fan that allegedly occurred during a game in Dec. 2023.