The -dotbuster- Attacks: Hate Crime against Asian Indians in Jersey City, New Jersey

Within a nine-month period from June 1987 to February 1988, over 15 Asian Indian people were brutally attacked in or around Jersey City, New Jersey. All of the incidents took place after a local newspaper published a letter from the -Dotbusters, an organization vowing to rid the community of Indians. This study illustrates how growing resentment and conflict between ethnic groups can manifest itself in physical violence that can be classified as hate crime. It also raises the possibility that the spatial clustering of ethnic groups may contribute to increased visibility and therefore, vulnerability to such attacks. INTRODUCflON fundamental question regarding crimes of this nature is what is the motivation behind them? Is it simply ethnic hatred, jealousy, or greed, or can On September 27, 1987 Navroze Mody, an these attacks be explained as mischievous pranks Asian-Indian resident of Jersey City, New Jersey that got out of hand? The attacks on Asian Indians went for a drink with a friend at a cafe in the in Jersey City raise some of the same questions. nearby town of Hoboken. As they left the cafe that While residents believed (Borsellino, 1988) these evening, Mr. Mody was assaulted and beaten into a were ethnically motivated assaults, local officials coma by a group of ten youths. Four days later, he initially claimed they were simple street fights. This died. His friend, who was white, was not injured. study shows how these -fightscan indeed be Earlier in the month, Bhered Patel was beaten with classified as ethnically motivated according to the a metal pipe while he slept in his Jersey City home. central concepts of hate crime in the literature. In On June 8, 1988, Jakariya Kirit of Jersey City addition, some people in the community were Heights was followed by a group of teenagers who shocked by the violence, while others saw it as a beat him after calling him a -dirty Hindu.On way of life. This study illustrates how growing June 11, two Indians were beaten by youths after resentment and conflict can manifest itself in being verbally assaulted with similar ethnic slurs. physical violence. Likewise, other factors that may And, on June 17, New York City taxi driver Malkiat have contributed to the tragic events are examined, Singh was shot to death while in Jersey City. such as the spatial clustering of like-groups These, and twelve other crimes within the contributing to their visibility as minorities and six month period from June to December of 1987, therefore, vulnerability to attack. Some people in have frightening similarities. Every victim was an the Jersey City community believed the clustering Asian Indian residing in or around the city of Jersey pattern of the Indian community made them more City, New Jersey. Without exception, each of the visible as an immigrant group. This is an especially attacks was brutal and caused injury or death to the important area for further research because many victims. All of the incidents took place after a local immigrant communities across the country exhibit a newspaper published a letter from an organization similar spatial pattern of ethnic -enclave­ vowing to rid the community of Indians. formation (Muller, 1993). This rash of attacks in Jersey City, in late 1988 and early 1987 is the focus of this study. A