CAIR: Muslim leaders increase security after vandalism reports at Texas and California mosques – Associated Press
“The past two years have been extremely difficult for American Muslims,” said Edward Ahmed Mitchell, national deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization.
CAIR-Chicago: Illinois man who stabbed 6-year-old Palestinian boy to death dies in prison – NBC
Ahmed Rehab, the executive director of Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Chicago office, said in a statement on Saturday that “this depraved killer has died, but the hate is still alive and well.”
CAIR-MN: Community groups protest promotion of officer who killed Amir Locke – Insight News
CAIR-MN: Fact check: Emmer blames “Somali gangs” for two assaults at schools – Star Tribune
CAIR: ICE arrests Maryland pastor for overstaying visa, holds him in Louisiana – Baltimore Sun
CAIR-SFBA: Rapid Response Network Volunteer Training – IndyBay
CAIR-Chicago: Chicago communities recovering from string of hateful defacements – Chicago Tribune
Jordan Esparza-Kelley, a spokesman for the Council on American Islamic Relations-Chicago, said the vandalism has made many Muslim, Arab and South Asian Chicagoans worried about the “viability” of living here.
“It does, for many in the community, beg the question of ‘Is it OK for us to exist here?’” he said. “‘Is it safe for us to exist here?’”
He added that authorities need to do more when hate affects communities of color, such as in Pilsen. Police did not make an arrest after the mural defacement, and the woman responsible walked away from the scene after officers arrived, advocates said during a June 18 news conference.
CAIR-NJ: New Jersey lawmakers advance bill defining antisemitism after hours of testimony – PhillyVoice
Omayma Mansour, a pro-Palestinian activist who lives in Princeton and board member of the Council on American-Islamic Relations of New Jersey, tested that theory by talking about Gaza and genocide during her testimony. Karabinchak interrupted her, redirecting her to the bill.
“Can I say what I just said? Because it doesn’t look like I can, which means that my free speech, my First Amendment rights, are not protected based on this bill,” Mansour said.
She called the bill unconstitutional and “a hot mess of a bill” and predicted it would not withstand judicial scrutiny.
“Should this pass, we will challenge it in court, and every court in this nation will clearly show you how unconstitutional this is,” Mansour said.