American man of Chicago charged with battery, hate speech against Palestinian couple

Terrence P. Clyne, 68, was charged with one count of hate crime and two counts of battery, one for each victim.

By Edward Era Barbacena 

A man was charged with hitting and making hateful comments against a neighboring Palestinian couple in Orland Park Wednesday morning.     

Terrence P. Clyne, 68, was charged with one count of hate crime and two counts of battery, one for each victim.

Orland Park police said around 10:35 a.m., officers responded to a report of a battery in the 15400 block of Begonia Court where they learned of two battery victims and one suspect.

Investigation into the incident revealed Clyne allegedly battered one man after the victim moved garbage cans from one area of a communal driveway to another. It is further alleged that Clyne made hateful comments, referring to the victim's national Palestinian origin, in response to the garbage can placement before punching the victim in the face, police said.  

The victim's wife then approached in an attempt to verbally de-escalate the situation when Clyne made more hateful comments aimed at her while mentioning her Palestinian heritage and moved toward her aggressively. The man stepped between Clyne and the woman and was again punched in the face and physically assaulted by Clyne - causing the victim to be pushed onto his wife. 

The Cook County State's Attorney's Office assisted with the victim and witness interviews at the Orland Park Police Department.  

Clyne is scheduled to appear before a judge at the Bridgeview Courthouse on Thursday.