Muslim civil rights group calls for stepped-up dialogue after spike in Islamophobic incidents
(BALTIMORE, MD, 7/25/17) – The Maryland Outreach Department of the Council on American-Islamic Relations today condemned a series of allegedly bias-motivated incidents targeting a Montgomery County Muslim in which his vehicle was defaced with eggs and tomatoes; an obscene, handwritten anti-Islam note was left under his windshield; and, according to police, was targeted by a deliberate vehicle collision in an effort to “stop a fictitious web of terrorists.”
According to police and media reports, the incidents began on June 11 and continued through the next several weeks.
Police: Man Eggs Muslim Neighbor’s Car 2x, Leaves Note, Calls All Muslims ‘Cockroaches’
CAIR welcomed the arrest of a suspect in the case who has been charged under Maryland’s hate crime law.
“This latest incident is another disturbing example of the consequences of hatred and ignorance targeting the American Muslim community,” said CAIR Maryland Outreach Manager Dr. Zainab Chaudry. “We welcome news of the bias-related charges that have been filed, and hope that the swift prosecution of this case will help prevent future hate crimes.”
Chaudry noted that CAIR recently released a report indicating that anti-Muslim hate crimes in the United States increased by 91 percent in the first half of the year compared with the same period in 2016.
SEE: Hate Crimes Against Muslims Spike After Trump Win
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/07/cair-hate-crimes-muslims-spike-trump-win-170718034249621.html
She encouraged Marylanders of all faiths and backgrounds to commit to sustained dialogue and action to help eradicate ignorance and improve the understanding of Islam and Muslims in the state.
The Washington-based civil rights and advocacy organization urges community members to report any bias incidents to police and to CAIR’s Civil Rights Department at 202-742-6420 or by filing a report at: http://www.cair.com/report
CAIR recently launched an app to share critical “know your rights” information and to simplify the process to report hate crimes and bias incidents. CAIR is urging American Muslims and members of other minority groups to download the app and utilize this resource to stay informed and empowered.
For a quick download of CAIR’s civil rights app, click here: http://www.cair.com/app
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
La misión de CAIR es mejorar la comprensión del Islam, fomentar el diálogo, proteger las libertades civiles, capacitar a los musulmanes estadounidenses, y construir coaliciones que promuevan la justicia y la comprensión mutua.
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CONTACT: CAIR Spokesperson Dr. Zainab Chaudry, [email protected], 410-971-6062