The teens, all males 17 and 16, were charged with aggravated battery, criminal damage to property and mob action. Some allegedly took inspiration for the crimes from social media.

Summary

Eleven Illinois teens face felony charges after allegedly luring two men via dating apps and assaulting them last July.

Inspired by a viral social media trend, the teens attacked a 41-year-old and a 23-year-old in separate incidents, damaging vehicles and using slurs in one case, resulting in hate crime charges for one teen.

All suspects turned themselves in and were detained at a juvenile center.

Police urge parents to discuss the dangers of social media trends with their children to prevent such incidents.

  • captainlezbian@lemmy.world
    15·
    3 days ago

    And the solution is to make such hate crimes dangerous. Gay bashing used to be more common, but armed f*gs bash back, and that reduced it

    • Kit
      7·
      3 days ago

      Further reading on the historical context of “f*gs bash back” for anyone curious: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queer_Nation

      I haven’t heard that slogan since the 90s. Really shows how far we’ve come, and now we’re sliding right back.