WASHINGTON D.C., DC — A federal grand jury indicted a man on Thursday with one count of "causing bodily harm to an individual due to his actual or perceived religion."
The alleged incident happened on July 10. According to the federal indictment, Walter James, 38, shouted at least five different antisemitic slurs and comments while attacking a man wearing a yarmulke in Foggy Bottom.
These phrases included, "You are murdering innocent men, women and children in Gaza"; "You control us with your money"; and "They're the cause of all our wars -- killing the children of Palestine."
James could face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted. According to the U.S. Attorney's office, James had previously faced assault charges in the D.C. Superior Court with a hate crimes enhancement.
According to the indictment, the man wearing a yarmulke who was attacked had cuts and bruises on his face and elbow after the incident.
A yarmulke, also known as a kippah, is a skullcap most commonly worn in public by Orthodox Jews. The head covering is also commonly worn at religious ceremonies, synagogue services and private rituals by other Jewish denominations.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, antisemitic incidents rose by 360% in the immediate aftermath of Hamas' attack on Israeli civilians on Oct. 7 and the subsequent Israel-Hamas War which ensued as a result.
In August, a man was indicted by a federal grand jury for spraying a noxious aerosol and yelling, "Gas the Jews!" outside a Northwest DC synagogue.
