The Los Angeles office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) today welcomed the arrest of a man in connection with an alleged hate-motivated road rage incident in Irvine earlier this week.
SEE:
· Irvine man accused of road rage hate crime; conflict captured on Instagram, police say
· Irvine Police Arrested a Man Following a Suspected Hate-Motivated Assault
A video recorded by the victim and posted to Instagram shows a man, identified by the Irvine Police Department (IPD) as Robert Leon Tackett, following the victim in his vehicle, driving aggressively, and throwing a cup of hot coffee into the victim’s car—which reportedly landed on the victim’s face and hands. According to the victim, Tackett also allegedly shouted racial slurs against Latinos during the incident.
On Thursday, July 24, Tackett was taken into custody by the IPD on suspicion of a hate crime and aggravated assault.
In a statement, CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush said:
“As bigotry continues to rise not only in our neighborhoods but nationwide, we must continue to stand in solidarity with communities facing the brunt of this wave of hate and strongly condemn it in all its forms. Targeting individuals based on their perceived race, ethnicity, or background is an attack on human dignity and the values of diversity and respect.
“We commend the IPD for its prompt response to this incident and holding the perpetrator on suspicion of hate crimes. We stand in solidarity with the Latino community and hope this sends a strong message that hate, of any kind, will not be tolerated.”
To report any bias incidents, contact CAIR-LA’s Civil Rights Department at (714) 776-1177 (ext. 2) or click here to file a report.
CAIR-LA is Southern California’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice and empower American Muslims.
– END –
Contact: CAIR-LA Senior Communications Coordinator Madi Hameed, mmorse-hameed@cair.com