Alexandria police say the policy had been in development before the alleged assault but was finalized amid renewed attention to bias-motivated crimes
NEED TO KNOW
- A viral video showed a man being pushed and hit with a shopping cart inside a Virginia grocery store on Christmas Day
- Police charged the suspect and now allege the victim was targeted because of his sexual orientation
- Alexandria police announced a new hate crime policy shortly after, emphasizing accountability and community trust
A viral video showing a man being shoved and struck with groceries inside a Virginia supermarket put a spotlight on alleged instances of bias-motivated violence during the holidays.
Weeks later, Alexandria police announced a new hate crime and bias-incident policy designed to formalize how those cases are handled.
Speaking at a press conference, Alexandria police said the policy had been in development for more than a year and was rooted in the department’s broader commitment to civil and human rights. Officials emphasized that the work was already underway before the grocery store incident captured public attention…