Number of national complaints is the largest wave CAIR has received in a similar time period since Trump’s Muslim ban
(BALTIMORE, Md., 10/26/2023) – The Maryland office of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), today said it has recorded 89 complaints, including hate bias incidents, between Oct. 9 to Oct. 24 following the escalation of violence in the Middle East on Oct. 7.
The civil rights group is issuing a community advisory encouraging vigilance and basic safety precautions and asking community members to document and report complaints and incidents to police and to CAIR. The nature of complaints and incidents include: 1) smears, hateful comments and slurs on social media, 2) school-based bullying and harassment, 3) doxxing threats against students expressing support for Palestinian human rights, 4) chilling of free speech and alleged retaliation at schools, universities/colleges and places of employment for pro-Palestine advocacy, 5) complaints about biased, one-sided statements about Israel/Palestine, 6) alleged discrimination at restaurants/businesses, 7) hostile incidents at mosques and 8) visits or questioning by law enforcement officers.
“Palestinian, Muslim and Arab communities are grappling with a genocide unfolding overseas in Gaza while also contending with mounting challenges fueled by islamophobia and racism in our own towns,” said CAIR’s Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry. “The reports CAIR has recorded only strengthen our resolve to empower one another, uphold justice and defend civil liberties. Even if someone chooses not to pursue any action, staying vigilant and confidentially reporting these complaints and incidents enables us to promote awareness, collect data and seek broader solutions.”
Report Complaints & Hate Bias Incidents:
More than a dozen documented complaints reported to CAIR originated from students and an employee at one Maryland university alone. CAIR says the number does not reflect all cases statewide. Those targeted by hate and discrimination often decline to report these incidents for reasons including fear of backlash or retaliation. In its 2021 report “Islamophobia through the Eyes of Muslims” UC Berkeley’s Other and Belonging Center found that 85 percent of Muslims who have been a victim of a hate crime do not report it.
In an unprecedented occurrence, CAIR’s 29th annual banquet in Maryland, originally scheduled for this Saturday, October 28, was merged with CAIR National’s 29th annual banquet, re-located to an undisclosed location and held last Saturday, October 21 after the National banquet’s venue received bomb threats and threats of Molotov cocktails, as well as death threats against hotel staff in a targeted campaign after CAIR dedicated the annual event to Palestine.
SEE: Terror Threats Move CAIR Banquet At Maryland Westin Hotel
https://dailyvoice.com/maryland/howard/terror-threats-move-cair-banquet-at-maryland-westin-hotel-m/
CAIR expressed safety concerns during a recent meeting with statewide Muslim leaders to call for an immediate ceasefire and flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza. The office has been briefing the state’s elected leaders and Maryland members of congress during meetings this week and plans to coordinate a self-empowerment training for Muslim and Arab communities in partnership with self-defense experts. In recent days, the office has held trainings and webinars on topics including bullying prevention, civic engagement and Palestine advocacy. The civil rights group expressed its appreciation to Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown and the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights for their support and commitment to the well-being of Muslim and Arab communities in the state amidst the tense political climate.
CAIR Maryland Office to Host Virtual Teach-In on Palestine Advocacy for Students
CAIR’s Maryland Office Offers ‘Civic Engagement 101: Advocacy on Capitol Hill’ Webinar
Earlier this week, Governor Moore and Lt. Governor Miller issued a joint video statement addressing the rise in hate violence in Maryland communities. CAIR issued a memo to the Moore/Miller administration as well as other elected leaders earlier this month expressing concerns about the rise in hate bias targeting Muslim communities.
Video: Hate has no place in Maryland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKwtjisSnDE
CAIR has issued guidance including ‘Know Your Rights While Speaking Up For Palestine’ and offered templates that can be modified to respond to biased statements from employers.
‘Know Your Rights While Speaking Up For Palestine’
https://www.instagram.com/p/CyYTx82gaIR/
Take Action: Download Templates to Respond to Your Employer or School/University About Biased Statements on Palestine & Israel
https://www.instagram.com/p/CyYUJ8ZA49y/
The National office has issued community alerts and guidelines for employees and employers to help safeguard rights in the workplace.
Community Alert: CAIR Issues Guidance for U.S. Employees Responding to Islamophobic, Anti-Arab Bias in the Workplace
CAIR Issues Guidance for U.S. Employers in Response to Spike in Islamophobic, Anti-Palestinian Rhetoric in the Workplace
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-issues-guidance-for-u-s-employers-in-response-to-spike-in-islamophobic-anti-palestinian-rhetoric-in-the-workplace/
Yesterday, CAIR’s National Headquarters announced it has recorded 774 complaints nationwide within the same time period, although this number will increase in the coming days as more reports are submitted from different states. CAIR believes the number of complaints is the largest wave it has seen since December 2015, after Donald Trump declared his intent to ban Muslims from the U.S.
SEE: CAIR National Reports Sharp Increase in Complaints, Reported Bias Incidents Since 10/7
[NOTE: Palestine Legal reports that they have responded to “over 260 such incidents” of people having their “livelihoods and careers” being targeted for speaking up on behalf of Palestinian humanity.]
In the last few weeks, CAIR National has documented a number of shocking incidents, including the murder of a six-year-old Palestinian child by his landlord in Illinois. Additionally, a man allegedly threatened to shoot two Muslim men in Illinois, a gunman reportedly shot through a Palestinian family home in Colorado, a city council member was arrested for carrying a gun at a pro-Palestinian rally in New York, and police arrested a man who wanted others to join him in hunting Palestinians in Michigan.
The organization has also documented several instances of vehicles being used as weapons targeting pro-Palestinian demonstrators. A man reportedly drove his truck through and brandished weapons against pro-Palestine protestors in Minnesota, a driver allegedly swerved into pro-Palestine demonstrators and hit a demonstrator on a bicycle in Ohio, and a man reportedly blocked a group of pro-Palestine protestors with his vehicle and then shot at them with a splatter ball gun in Oregon. In New Jersey, a man also reportedly drove into a school parking lot and yelled death threats at parents.
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: CAIR Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, 410-971-6062, zchaudry@cair.com; CAIR National Research and Advocacy Director Corey Saylor, 202-384-8857, csaylor@cair.com; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-999-8292, 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