Muslim civil rights and advocacy group reiterates call for DNC to condemn attack on silent protesters and cooperate in Chicago police investigation
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization today asked the public for help in identifying one of the attendees at the Democratic National Convention who allegedly used a “We Love Joe” sign to strike a Muslim woman in hijab on the head, giving her a concussion.
CAIR also reiterated its call for the DNC and Harris-Walz campaign to break their silence, condemn the attack, and assist in the Chicago Police Department’s ongoing investigation.
During President Biden’s speech to the DNC on Aug. 19th, Florida DNC delegate and law professor Nadia Ahmad and several other delegates silently held up a sign that read “Stop Arming Israel.” Several men in box seats behind them, who were later identified as members of the New England chapter of the Laborers’ International Union of North America, attacked the silent protesters. At least two different union members allegedly struck Ahmad, who was wearing a hijab, with poles attached to ‘We Love You Joe’ signs. Other audience members attempted to and eventually did rip the anti-war sign away from them.
Two of the union members allegedly responsible for striking Ahmed who she has identified are Scott Gustafson, Regional Organizing Director at LiUNA and Brent Booker, General President of LiUNA. A third unidentified man, who was briefly caught on camera striking Ahmed, has not been positively identified yet. CAIR is asking for the public’s help in confirming the man’s identity.
The Chicago Police Department says it is investigating the incident, but no arrests have been made and no one has been charged in the weeks since the assault.
In a statement, CAIR Deputy Executive Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said:
“Using a pole to repeatedly strike anyone over the head is a crime, and singling out a Muslim woman wearing a hijab for such violence is a hate crime. The Chicago Police Department has been moving too slowly in its investigation of the assault and the Democratic National Committee has been too quiet. So has the Harris-Walz campaign.”
“If a DNC delegate had physically attacked a visibly Jewish delegate holding up a pro-Israel sign, giving her a concussion, all hell would have rightfully broken loose and no effort would have been spared to hold the perpetrators responsible.
“The Chicago Police Department must swiftly identify and file charges against all of the DNC attendees responsible for this violent attack, including members of the Laborers’ International Union of North America who violated both the law and the principles of the organized labor movement, which has vocally stood up against the Gaza genocide.”
He noted that CAIR previously condemned the incident.
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CONTACT: Ahmed Rehab, Executive Director of CAIR Chicago, 202-870-0166, arehab@cair.com; Maggie Slavin, Operations Manager of CAIR-Chicago, 815-590-3991, mslavin@cair.com; Hafsa Haider, Communications Coordinator of CAIR-Chicago, 561-317-7509, hhaider@cair.com; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@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