Two Men Arrested in Florida Over Harassment of Muslim Students During Prayer
The encounter occurred on Nov. 9, when members of the university’s Muslim Student Association gathered at sunrise for prayer in a campus parking garage. Students later said three men approached, shouted insults, and disrupted the prayer while filming.
USF police announced Friday that Christopher Svochak, 40, of Waco, Texas, and Richard Penskoski, 49, of Canyon, Oklahoma, had been charged. The counts include disturbing schools and religious assemblies, disorderly conduct and disrupting a lawful gathering.
Both men are unaffiliated with the university, which has issued trespass orders barring them from campus. Investigators are still working to identify a third individual seen in videos.
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Footage of the confrontation circulated widely online. A group called Warriors for Christ livestreamed the incident; the Southern Poverty Law Center classifies the group as a hate organization.
At a news conference Friday, student Abu Tahir recalled hearing footsteps, seeing men approach and realizing they were being taunted.
He said watching the videos again “made me relive the whole thing,” adding that students feared the men might be armed. Tahir said the group completed the prayer despite the harassment.
Student leaders said no campus staff were present to intervene. They are calling on USF to expand safety measures and provide protected prayer space. The university said it would increase police presence “out of an abundance of caution.”
Local officials and faith leaders condemned the harassment. Law enforcement representatives said people are free to express views, but not to create an environment where others feel unsafe.
USF stated it expects to refer charges to the State Attorney’s Office as the investigation continues.
Source: Agencies
