The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today expressed solidarity with the Netherlands Muslim community after a violent threat and hate incidents targeting a mosque.
The Yunus Emre Mosque in Emmeloord reported receiving a threatening phone call and shredded Qurans with anti-Islam texts and a dead bird were left at the mosque.
[NOTE: Last month, CAIR welcomed a drop in support for Geert Wilders’ anti-Muslim, fascist “Party of Freedom” in the Netherlands.]
In a statement, Washington, D.C., based CAIR said:
“We stand in solidarity with the Muslim community in the Netherlands in the wake of the disturbing threat and acts of hatred targeting a Dutch mosque. Such despicable attempts to intimidate European Muslims happen far too often amid hateful rhetoric pushed by Geert Wilders and other anti-Muslim fascists. Their hate has no place in society. We stand in full solidarity with the Dutch Muslim community and hope authorities thoroughly investigate these incidents and hold the perpetrators accountable.”
Last week, CAIR condemned French National Assembly President Yael Braun-Pivet’s Islamophobic remarks targeting visitors to that nation’s legislative body wearing Islamic head scarves, or hijab.
Last month, CAIR welcomed the government of Switzerland’s rejection of a ban on hijab, or Islamic headscarves, in schools.
CAIR also called on Portugal’s parliament to reject an Islamophobic bill that would ban the wearing of the face veil.
In August, CAIR condemned as ‘discriminatory and authoritarian’ a proposal announced by Austria’s integration minister to ban Islamic head scarves, or hijab, for girls under the age of 14.
Earlier this year, CAIR said that Islamophobia is “spinning out of control” in Europe after a Muslim woman was murdered in Germany and a mosque was burned during anti-immigrant riots in Spain.
CAIR also condemned the attempted arson of a Muslim prayer room in Châtillon-sur-Seine, France.
In February, CAIR called on French lawmakers to reject proposed legislation that would ban the wearing of religiously-mandated attire in sports.
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CONTACT: 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