Alberto Friedmann, a neuro kinesiology professor, was charged with a felony hate crime after he allegedly spat and yelled racial slurs at a black woman and her seven-year-old daughter. The racist incident took place outside a Jewel-Osco in Oak Park.
Friedmann, a professor at National University of Health Sciences in Illinois, was formally charged by Judge Susana Ortiz during a court hearing on Sunday. Apart from barring the Fried from contacting the victim and witnesses, the judge ordered his bail at $2,500.
Friedmann Tried to Hit Victim With His Car
In the incident which took place on September 7, the victim and her daughter were sitting in their car in the parking lot waiting for her mother, when she heard someone honking and yelling at her.
"The woman looked up and saw Friedmann in a Jaguar behind her, prosecutors said. He allegedly yelled a racial slur at her and told her to move her car. Then he got out of his car and approached the woman while continuing to shout racial slurs, according to a court document," the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
"When the woman tried to open her door, Friedmann allegedly pushed the door closed and spit in her face. He told the woman he spit on her because he doesn't like Black people. By this point, the woman's mother had left the store and heard Friedmann yelling slurs and saw him spit on her daughter," prosecutors said.
The prosecutors further revealed that following the racist attack when the victim, after getting down from car, tried to note down Friedmann's license plate, he allegedly accelerated his vehicle towards her, forcing her to step aside to avoid being hit. He then went on to crash into the victim's car twice, according to prosecutors.
Social Media Angered, Demands Justice
The incident has caused widespread anger on the social media with many demanding his removal from the job.
In a statement issued to NBC 5, the authorities claimed that Friedmann has been suspended indefinitely and an enquiry has been initiated. "We take allegations of misconduct seriously, and therefore have suspended Alberto Friedmann pending the results of a university investigation," the school said.
"This guy, Alberto Friedmann, was charged with two felony hate crimes for spitting on a Black woman and her kid. Know him? Help make sure he gets fired from his professorship ok? And his Jaguar gets impounded. Yeah, of course he drives a jag," tweeted a user.
"Are you going to keep that racist criminal piece of garbage, Alberto Friedmann, on your board?" tweeted another.
