The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and its Minnesota chapter (CAIR-MN) tonight condemned a reported attack on Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) during a town hall meeting in Minneapolis.
The alleged attacker sprayed an unknown substance on Rep. Omar before being tackled. She continued with the town hall after the alleged attacker was taken away.
Rep. Omar has been the frequent target of anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant and anti-Somali hate rhetoric. CAIR and CAIR-MN have repeatedly condemned the rhetorical attacks on Rep. Omar and the Somali community.
This attack did not happen in a vacuum,” said Jaylani Hussein, executive director of CAIR-MN. “We condemn this assault in the strongest possible terms and call for enhanced security for Congresswoman Omar, her family and her community. When a sitting member of Congress is relentlessly demonized through false anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant rhetoric, violence becomes a predictable outcome.”
In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said:
“We strongly condemn the attack on Rep. Ilhan Omar at her community town hall, which comes after years of racist and Islamophobic incitement against her.
“We call on all members of Congress to condemn this assault, which was entirely predictable. The dangerous incitement that politicians like President Trump, pro-Israel lobby groups like AIPAC, and anti-Muslim hate groups have spent years spewing against Rep. Omar must end immediately.
“We commend Rep. Omar for her courage in continuing to speak out for justice here and abroad, despite the hate and threats she has faced for doing so. The American Muslim community stands in solidarity with her. An attack on Rep. Omar is an attack on all of us and on the rule of law.”
CAIR-MN is the state’s leading Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization. Its mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR 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: Jaylani Hussein, Executive Director, CAIR-MN, 612-406-0070, jhussein@cair.com; Suleiman Adan, Deputy Executive Director, CAIR-MN — 612-408-7183, sadan@cair.com; 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