The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today expressed solidarity with the Muslim community in the Netherlands after protests the Dutch city of Utrecht over alleged racist police violence targeting two Muslim women.
In a statement, Washington, D.C., based CAIR said:
“We stand in solidarity with the Muslim community in the Netherlands as they seek justice, transparency and accountability following these disturbing reports of police violence against Muslim women. No one should be targeted, abused or humiliated because of their faith, ethnicity or appearance. Allegations of racist policing must be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly by independent authorities.”
CAIR said Muslim women are disproportionately impacted by Islamophobia, racial profiling and violence in many parts of the world.
Earlier this week, CAIR welcomed a report published by Spain’s Institute of Women, an agency under the Ministry of Equality, that raised concerns about discrimination against Muslim girls who wear an Islamic headscarf, or hijab, in Spanish educational institutions.
Last month, CAIR said a vote in Austria to ban Islamic headscarves, or hijab, in schools for girls under the age of 14 violated religious freedom and will only serve to marginalize the Muslim community in that nation.
Earlier this month, CAIR expressed solidarity with the Muslim community in Scotland after a mosque was targeted with hate graffiti.
Last year, CAIR express similar solidarity with Muslims in Scotland and the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, and Ireland after hate incidents targeting those communities.
Also last year, CAIR said that Islamophobia is “spinning out of control” in Europe.
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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