Three men have been hit with felony hate crime charges after storming a University of South Florida (USF) parking garage and aggressively confronting Muslim students during dawn prayers. Christopher Svochak, 48, Richard Penskoski, 51, and Ricardo Yepez, 39, none connected to USF, now face serious charges under Florida law, including disturbing a religious assembly with hate crime enhancement.
Verbal Assault During Early Morning Prayers
The harrowing incident unfolded at 5:30 a.m. on November 19, 2025. The trio barged onto the Collins Boulevard Parking Garage rooftop where about a dozen Muslim students with the USF Muslim Students Association were performing fajr prayers. Video captures one man carrying a cardboard box labelled “Kaaba 2.0 – Jesus is Lord”, while another wore a white thobe emblazoned with “Jesus is God.”
Witnesses report the men shouted vile remarks inches away from praying students, including:
- “Bow down to Lord Jesus Christ!”
- “Your prophet married a 6-year-old!”
- “You don’t have a bomb on you, do you?”
Student Abu Tahir told reporters, “They walked so close to our heads while we were bowing that we genuinely feared they would stomp on us. We had to decide whether to break prayer for our safety.” Despite the intimidation, prayers continued, but the men kept filming and hurling insults as students left.
Swift Police Action and Community Outrage
USF Police Chief Chris Daniel said, “We take this incident very seriously. We are committed to protecting every member of our community and will use every resource to ensure accountability.” All three men have been slapped with lifetime trespass bans from USF.
Local officials were quick to condemn the attack. Hillsborough County Commissioner Harry Cohen called it “appalling”, adding, “No one in America should be assaulted while exercising their constitutionally-protected rights. This is simply intolerable.” Commissioner Gwen Myers affirmed, “The Muslim community are our citizens. This will not happen again.”
The Islamic Society of Tampa Bay Area held a unity press conference on November 21, condemning the harassment and praising police for their prompt response.
Legal Battle Highlights Rising Campus Islamophobia
The Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the men with hate crime enhancements that could add significant jail time. All three were released on bond and will face arraignment in December 2025.
The charges go beyond simple trespass or disorderly conduct. Florida Statute 876.14 specifically targets disruptions of religious assemblies, recognising the gravity of interrupting worship. The hate crime tag flags the religious bias behind the harassment.
Experts say the attack demonstrates a disturbing rise in anti-Muslim hostility on U.S. campuses, with complaints soaring 178% nationwide in 2025. Muslim Students Association chapters report increased security fears, especially around outdoor prayer spots like the isolated rooftop at USF.
Ironically, the perpetrators’ own video evidence helped prosecutors strengthen the hate crime case against them.
As the arraignment looms, this case could set a powerful precedent protecting religious freedom on campuses – or risk emboldening hate if justice falls short.
