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Attorney General Janet T. Mills files Civil Rights Act complaint related to altercation near Casco Bay High School
April 21, 2017
AUGUSTA ? Attorney General Janet T. Mills announced today that she has filed a complaint under the Maine Civil Rights Act against Jaime Hoffman, age 20, of Portland. The complaint alleges that on or about January 27, 2017, Hoffman yelled racial epithets at a diverse group of students waiting for the Portland METRO bus on Allen Avenue near Casco Bay High School in Portland and then assaulted two students who confronted him about his racist language. The complaint requests the Court to order Hoffman to stay away from the students, stay off the campus shared by the Casco Bay High School and the Portland Arts and Technology High School and refrain from violating the Maine Civil Rights Act in the future.
Specifically, the complaint alleges that Hoffman, accompanied by two companions, began yelling racial epithets at a group of four freshmen waiting for the bus near the Casco Bay High School. The group included students originally from Mexico, Sudan and the Republic of Congo. In addition to using racial epithets, Hoffman is alleged to have made comments that immigrants should go back to their own countries and they should die.
According to the complaint, a biracial student in the group said to Hoffman, ?Why do you deserve to be here anymore than they do?? Hoffman responded by rushing at the student and punching him in the head. A white female student waiting across the street for another Metro bus ran over to check on the biracial student. She and other students followed Hoffman and his two companions as they walked along Allen Avenue in the direction of Washington Avenue. Hoffman continued to yell racial epithets.
The white female student yelled at Hoffman, ?It?s not just your country. It?s everybody?s country. It?s not a white man?s country.? Hoffman tackled the white female student to the ground. Hoffman and his two companions fled when the sirens of the responding police cruisers could be heard.
?The Maine Civil Rights Act protects all people from the threat of violence or acts of violence based on bias against race, religion, color, ancestry and national origin,? said Attorney General Mills. ?People who stand up for the rights of immigrants and people of color should not be subject to threats or acts of violence motivated by the perpetrator?s bias.?
The Attorney General?s Office would like to thank the Portland Police Department for their investigation of this case.
