The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today said that Islamophobia is “spinning out of control” in Europe after a Muslim woman was murdered in Germany and a mosque was burned during anti-immigrant riots in Spain.
A 26-year-old Algerian woman who was stabbed to death in Hannover, Germany, had previously told her family she was facing racist insults and harassment from her neighbor, who police arrested as the main suspect.
SEE: Racism suspected in murder of Algerian woman in Germany
Anti-immigrant riots have been going on for several days in Spain. The Piera mosque in Barcelona caught on fire one day before it was supposed to be inaugurated. Police are investigating the incident as connected to the riots.
SEE: Incendi a la mesquita de Piera, possible atac islamòfob
They are investigating a fire that burned down the Piera mosque.
In a statement, CAIR Deputy Executive Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said:
“We strongly condemn the horrific murder of a Muslim woman in Germany in an apparent hate crime, as well as the fire at a mosque in Spain during anti-immigrant riots. Anti-Muslim hate is spinning out of control in Europe, fueled by the hateful rhetoric and policies of both far-right politicians and far-left politicians. European leaders must take action to curtail this rising tide of bigotry and respect religious freedom before this violence continues to spread and escalate.”
He noted that CAIR recently called on European leaders to stop promoting anti-Muslim hate after mosques in the United Kingdom and France were targeted with attacks.
CAIR also called on French officials to stop fanning the flames of Islamophobia after a suspect reportedly killed a Tunisian neighbor in southeastern France and badly wounded a Turkish man.
END
CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com