'No Racial Bias' In North Penn Fight, DA Says, As Protest Held

NORRISTOWN, PA — Activists are planning a protest Wednesday afternoon in Norristown over the decision to charge a Montgomery County high school student involved in a fight which they say was sparked by Islamophobia. Authorities, meanwhile, say that an investigation revealed no racial bias in the cause of the fight.

CAIR-Philadelphia, the group representing North Penn High School junior Sanaa Beaufort, said that she was targeted by two other students specifically due to her ethnicity. CAIR alleged further violation of her rights because her hijab was forcibly removed in the fight, and school officials made her walk through the halls without it on.

>>Investigation Continues After Fight At North Penn HS

While North Penn apologized for its handling of the situation, which occurred back on May 4, a police investigation ultimately led to charges against Sanaa and the two other girls.

Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said that the investigation showed that all three girls "were mutually engaged in and responsible for the fight." All three have been charged with the same misdemeanor count of mutual combat assault.

"We reviewed the totality of the Towamencin Police Department’s investigation and found no evidence that racial or religious bias motivated this fight," Steele said. "We have been (and) remain committed to fairness and justice for all in our system of criminal justice."

"We are deeply disappointed by the decision to pursue criminal charges against Ms. Beaufort," Timothy Welbeck, a civil rights attorney for CAIR, said in a statement. "We have maintained from the beginning that our client is the victim in this incident, and our system should protect her rather than vilify her. We will do all in our power to vigorously fight against these charges."

The protest took place at noon on Wednesday at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown. CAIR says they're calling on both "people of faith and the broader community" to stand in solidarity.

The incident sparked protests at North Penn shortly after it occurred, and the district said at the time that they needed to improve their diversity training and anti-bullying response.

"Each year we dedicate many hours to help our staff and students grow in cultural proficiency, but we know we have much more work to do in this extremely important area," the district said in May.

Steele said that all three girls have been offered to proceed through he Youth Aid Panel, a diversionary program comprised of community service and learning opportunities, instead of proceeding with their charges in juvenile court. Once this program is completed, the child in question has no juvenile record, Steele added.