Investigate the brutal beating of Ralph Weems as a hate crime

On Saturday, August 23, Ralph Weems and his friend, two White individuals, were dining at a restaurant when approached by a Black patron who said the men should leave because their presence was upsetting Black diners who were upset by the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. These patrons began to verbally abuse Weems, shouting racial slurs until police were called and put an end to the incident. Weems and his friend left the restaurant and went elsewhere.

At the second restaurant, it appears Weems and his friend were followed by a group of Black men from the first restaurant, who approached them and began shouting racial slurs, pushed Weems to the ground, and kicked him in the head repeatedly. Weems has been taken to the hospital with such severe injuries that he has been put into a medically induced coma and required brain surgery. The suspects fled on foot before police arrived.

Police are not investigating this crime as a "hate crime," simply as an assault, despite the yelling of racial slurs by the group of Black men to a White individual. This matter should be treated as it would if a group of White men had beaten a Black individual to this extent, which would be considered a hate crime.

Justice should not be served based on race, it should be applied equally.