North Reading Man Arrested After Orange Line Anti-Muslim Tirade

NORTH READING, MA — A North Reading man was arraigned Tuesday for allegedly violating the civil rights of a fellow passenger, falsely claiming she had a bomb, and breaking a window during a tirade on an Orange Line train, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

Prosecutors told the court that Sean P. Devlin, 34, was onboard an inbound Orange Line train Monday night when he allegedly began shouting anti-Muslim slurs at a 61-year-old woman wearing a headscarf and making false accusations about her having a bomb that would “kill us all.” The victim and a witness both told responding Transit Police officers that Devlin hit the woman in the back with an umbrella, prosecutors said, for which he could face additional charges. Devlin then allegedly kicked and punched a window of the train car until it shattered.

Devlin, who lists an address in North Reading as well as a Boston substance-abuse treatment facility, was arraigned in Boston Municipal Court on charges of violating a person’s civil rights, making a false bomb threat, and malicious destruction of property over $250.

Transit Police arrested Devlin at North Station and found three small bottles of alcohol in his pockets. They also learned he had warrants for misdemeanor offenses in Woburn District Court, Somerville District Court, and Lowell District Court.

Following Devlin’s arrest, officers and T personnel did a check of the train and found nothing unusual except the window Devlin allegedly broke. Train service was then restored.

“Behavior like this is inexcusable,” Conley said. “I want to commend the MBTA passengers, personnel, and others who reported and responded to it. There’s no place for hate in Boston or Suffolk County.”

Assistant District Attorney David Wittenberg requested bail of $50,000, an order protecting the victim’s personal information with him, and orders that Devlin stay away from the victim, witnesses, and all MBTA conveyances in the event he is released on bail. Judge Tracy-Lee Lyons imposed bail of $10,000 and granted all of Wittenberg’s requested orders.

Devlin returns to court July 17.

Photo by Patrick Mannion via Flickr