ORLANDO, Fla. – Arrests could happen soon after a University of Central Florida student says he was attacked by a Neo-Nazi group in Waterford Lakes over the weekend.
Orange County Sheriff John Mina says charges are forthcoming for three people. While legal experts say hate speech is protected, things like threats and assaults can land people behind bars.
Sheriff Mina says they are investigating at least three Neo-Nazi individuals who allegedly attacked a Jewish UCF student.
That student says he drove past a group yelling anti-Semitic slurs and wearing swastikas on the corner of Alafaya Trail and Waterford Lakes Parkway in Orlando on Saturday. He says someone saw his Israeli flag license plate and the group surrounded his car.
The student says after they spit on him that he confronted them and started filming. Video shows him in a brown and black hoodie as they punched, kicked, and pepper-sprayed him.
Now the Orange County Sheriff says charges are coming.
“We’re working with the Anti-Defamation League who actually helped identify some of these people. I’ve reached out to Jewish leaders in our community as well to let them know that if they feel threatened by anyone in our community to please let us know, but charges are forthcoming on several people involved in that incident.”
FOX 35 is working to find out when these charges will be filed and the arrests will be made.