Man arrested for punching Arabic speakers

A Bloomfield man was arrested on Sunday after police say he assaulted two individuals for speaking Arabic.

Casey E. Thompson, 23, was arrested on preliminary charges of battery and for public intoxication on Sunday, said Bloomington Police Department Captain Joe Qualters, reading from a police report.

BPD was dispatched at 12:13 a.m. Sunday to Nick’s English Hut, Qualters said.
A 23-year-old and 27-year-old walked by Thompson inside of Nick’s English Hut speaking Arabic, Qualters said.

Thompson asked the two individuals what they said, according to the report.

Thompson punched the two individuals, Qualters said. The 23-year-old went to Bloomington Hospital for a broken nose, and the 27-year-old was treated after he was punched in the eye.

Thompson told police he thought the individuals were mocking him, according to the report.

The case was sent to the Bloomington Human Rights Commission for further investigation.