A Morgan Hill man has been charged with a hate crime in relation to a March 7 incident where the suspect targeted South County residents who were leaving a Muslim prayer service, according to authorities.
The Morgan Hill Police Department announced this week that the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office charged Mark Allen, 59, of Morgan Hill, with willfully injuring, intimidating, interfering with, oppressing or threatening a victim because of their exercise of a right or privilege guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
Allen allegedly targeted multiple members of the South Valley Islamic Community—including an elderly man and his daughter—as they were leaving a prayer service at the Morgan Hill Community & Cultural Center. The suspect reportedly shouted Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian remarks while physically and verbally assaulting the victims.
The incident was reported to MHPD, which investigated and submitted the case to the DA’s office for review.
The DA’s office this week charged Allen with PC 422.6(a), a civil rights violation. If convicted, Allen faces up to one year in jail, a $5,000 fine—or both jail and a fine.
Allen surrendered to MHPD shortly after the DA filed the charge, MHPD said.
The incident sparked concern and even fear among Morgan Hill residents and SVIC members—who live throughout Santa Clara and San Benito counties—that locals were being targeted for crime or harassment due to their religion or ethnicity.
The SVIC board of directors said in a statement, “We are grateful to the District Attorney’s Office for treating this incident with the seriousness it deserves. Our community came together during Ramadan in faith, and we should never have to fear being attacked while doing so. We hope this sends a strong message that hate has no home in Morgan Hill.”
The San Francisco Bay Area Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SFBA) released a statement on April 21, welcoming the hate crime charge against Allen.
“After working closely with the victims, we know this necessary step helps demonstrate the District Attorney’s support for the Muslim community’s safety and well-being,” said CAIR-SFBA Civil Rights Attorney Bismah Jaffer. “It also sends a clear message that targeting Muslims, Palestinians, or allies will not be tolerated.”
Also on April 21, Morgan Hill Mayor Mark Turner released a statement “to make it unequivocally clear that our community stands against hate in all its forms.”
Turner’s statement added, “Islamophobia, or any form of discrimination, has no place in our community. Our Muslim neighbors, like all residents, deserve to feel safe and respected. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is celebrated and everyone can live without fear.
“Let this serve as a reminder that hate will not go unaddressed in Morgan Hill. Together, we will continue to build a community rooted in understanding, respect, and unity. My office is here to support and ensure the safety and dignity of every resident.”
The DA’s office is also investigating a March 21 incident in which someone hung a Nazi flag on the Burnett Avenue overpass at Highway 101. That incident—also involving a potential hate crime—was investigated by the sheriff’s office, which submitted the case to the DA’s office for review.
