(BALTIMORE, MD, 9/9/22) – The Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called for a hate crime investigation into an incident in which Muslim families enjoying a picnic outing at a public park in Anne Arundel County, Md., were reportedly harassed and intimidated by an individual who allegedly made derogatory remarks about their faith.
A parent from one of the families told CAIR that they had gathered at Rose Haven Park in Anne Arundel County on Labor Day. As they were taking a prayer break, an unfamiliar individual reportedly began verbally accosting them, making taunts such as “Allah is taking you to hell” and “Muhammad is a terrorist.” He allegedly accused them of teaching their “kids to be terrorists” as they were praying, calling out “salvation is with Jesus Christ.”
Despite repeated requests to leave the families alone and to not bother them, this tirade reportedly continued for at least 10 to 15 minutes. When warned that the families would call the police if he did not leave them alone, the perpetrator reportedly replied, “Go ahead, I’m practicing my right to free speech.”
The parent told CAIR that police were called but did not appear to take the concerns seriously, simply asking if the families would like a patrol car, by which point they had already packed their belongings and left the park.
CAIR was told that the ordeal particularly traumatized the children, who were confused and reportedly anxiously asked their parents if they were doing anything wrong.
“The First Amendment right to speech is a constitutionally protected right that should never be weaponized to intimidate and harass anyone,” said CAIR’s Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry. “It’s egregious that these families, especially their young children, had to endure this hateful incident. No one should have to tolerate such abuse, and CAIR applauds this family for their courage in reporting the incident to us. We urge the Anne Arundel County Police Department to investigate and take swift, appropriate action to deliver justice to these families and, as per their request, make sure no one else has to experience such hate from this individual.”
She noted that CAIR’s New York office yesterday published a report indicating that only 4 percent of Muslims who experienced a hate crime reported it to law enforcement.
Video: CAIR-NY Publishes Report Documenting Bias and Hate Crimes Experienced by Muslim New Yorkers
CAIR is in touch with County Executive Stuart Pittman’s Office of Community Engagement and has alerted them of the incident. The Washington, D.C., based civil rights group expressed its appreciation that a representative from the office will be working with the family to address the incident and provide appropriate resources.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR Office in Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, zchaudry@cair.com, 410-971-6062