A UF graduate student was arrested early Friday morning for assaulting two men and shouting anti-gay slurs at them.
According to a Gainesville Police report, Matthew Wallace Teper, 22, of 104 SW Eighth St., shouted at two men from across the street at 600 SW Second Ave. near downtown Gainesville.
Teper pulled down his pants and exposed himself while shouting anti-gay slurs and suggesting sex acts for the victims to perform on him. He then pulled up his pants, crossed the street and continued to shout at the men.
One of the victims said he told Teper to "leave us alone." The victim said Teper then punched him on the left side of his face. When the victim tried to push him off, Teper shoved him to the ground.
The second victim said that when he told Teper he would call the police, Teper hit him in the back of the head.
Police said the victims were not seriously injured.
Teper was taken to Alachua County Jail. He was charged with two counts of battery, and the evidence of prejudice classifies the incident as a hate crime, according to the police report.
UF spokesman Steve Orlando said federal privacy laws prevent him from discussing disciplinary actions for a specific student.
He said the dean of students can bring code of conduct charges against a student for off-campus behavior. It is protocol to do so when the student is charged with violent acts.
