Muslim civil rights group echoes students demanding campus group Hillel cancel invitation to Israeli soldier who posted video reportedly from home of displaced or killed Palestinian family
(BALTIMORE, MD, 9/14/2024) – The Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore to strongly condemn a speaker invitation extended to an Israeli soldier who participated in the genocidal war on Gaza and reportedly posted a video himself dismissing concerns about innocent Palestinians while in the home of a displaced or murdered Palestinian family in Gaza.
The speaker, Arky Staiman, has sparked outrage and concern among Johns Hopkins students, including Palestinian and Muslim students.
“We urge Johns Hopkins University to take a principled stand against hate and genocide by publicly condemning this invitation and joining the growing chorus of voices on its campus in calling on Hillel to cancel this hateful event,” said CAIR’s Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry. “Inviting any individual who has allegedly documented their presence in the homes of families suffering from forced displacement and genocide perpetuates a narrative of oppression, exacerbates tensions on campus and fosters an unhealthy academic environment. The university should be a place where all students feel safe and valued, not where the pain and trauma of oppressed communities is trivialized and compounded.”
She added: “We urge students, faculty, and community members to join in this call for justice and to advocate for a campus environment that prioritizes humanity and justice over violence and hostility.”
Chaudry said the ongoing genocide in Gaza has resulted in an unprecedented spike in anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian bias, discrimination and violence.
Last month, CAIR announced new civil rights data on issues impacting Muslim and Arab communities in Maryland. That data highlights a troubling trend in reports of discrimination, free speech violations, hate bias incidents and bullying, among other concerns. CAIR documented 413 cases of anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian complaints, incidents and requests for assistance statewide in Maryland between January – June 2024
Video: CAIR’s Maryland Office Announces 413 New Complaints from January-June 2024
January to June 2024, CAIR documented 4,951 incoming bias complaints nationwide, a 69 percent increase over the same period in 2023.
SEE: New CAIR Data Shows Anti-Muslim, Anti-Palestinian Hate Remain Elevated in First Half of 2024
Earlier this year, CAIR’s national office released its 2024 civil rights report, which revealed the highest number of complaints it has ever received in its 30-year history. Titled “Fatal: The Resurgence of Anti-Muslim Hate,” the report documented 8,061 complaints.
Nearly half of all complaints received in 2023 were reported in the final three months of the year.
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, zchaudry@cair.com, 410-971-6062; CAIR Maryland Outreach Coordinator Kim Syuardi, ksyuardi@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