The Pittsburgh and Philadelphia chapters of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Pennsylvania ), the nation’s leading Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the City of Erie’s response to reported threats targeting the local Muslim community and urged authorities to remain vigilant in protecting residents from anti-Muslim hate and intimidation.
The threats came after a video of a Muslim religious procession circulated on social media.
In a statement, CAIR-Pittsburgh Executive Director Christine Mohamed said:
“We welcome the City of Erie’s decision to take these threats seriously and to stand with its Muslim residents. Threats targeting a religious community must never be normalized or dismissed. Every American deserves to live, worship and participate in civic life without fear of intimidation or violence.
“We urge law enforcement authorities to thoroughly investigate any credible threats and to hold accountable anyone responsible for unlawful conduct. We also encourage elected officials and community leaders to continue making clear that anti-Muslim bigotry has no place in Erie or anywhere in our country.
“At a time when anti-Muslim incidents remain at record levels nationwide, strong public statements and decisive law-enforcement action can help reassure targeted communities that they are not alone.”
Mohamed added that earlier this month, CAIR-Pittsburgh welcomed the arrest and federal charges filed against an Erie man accused of making violent antisemitic threats targeting members of the Jewish community.
She noted that earlier today, Washington, D.C.-based CAIR called on local, state and federal law enforcement authorities to investigate an allegedly bias-motivated spitting attack on a Muslim woman in Kentucky as a hate crime.
Yesterday, CAIR’s Florida chapter welcomed charges for an alleged plot to carry out a mass shooting at a mosque.
CAIR’s latest civil rights report documented 8,683 anti-Muslim bias complaints in 2025 – the highest number ever recorded by the organization since it began publishing civil rights reports in 1996.
CAIR-PA’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR-PA 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-Pittsburgh Executive Director Christine Mohamed [email protected]