The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) today called on law enforcement authorities to investigate the alleged racist harassment of a Muslim mother and child in Rochester, Minnesota, as a possible hate crime and to protect the alleged victim’s family and bystanders from retaliation.
Video taken at a park shows a white woman admitting she used a racist slur against a five-year-old Muslim child of Somali heritage. The child was reportedly called the N-word by the woman.
The Rochester Police Department said it is aware of the video and is “gathering information and actively looking into the matter.” Minnesota does not have a specific hate crime law, but prosecutors may seek harsher penalties for certain bias-motivated crimes.
Rochester police say the findings of their investigation have been submitted to the Rochester City Attorney’s Office for review and consideration for a charging decision.
The alleged racist harasser is reportedly raising money online based on the video.
VIDEO: Woman Who Used N-Word Targeting Muslim Child in Minnesota Raises Money Online
“Based on the racist nature of the alleged harassment of the Muslim child, we urge local, state and federal law enforcement authorities to investigate this troubling incident as a possible hate crime,” said CAIR-MN Executive Director Jaylani Hussein. “It is truly sad that this alleged racist harasser is finding support nationwide for her reported use of the N-word against an innocent child.”
In addition to a hate crime investigation, CAIR-MN is also calling on the FBI and law enforcement to take immediate action to protect the family and bystanders who are reportedly being targeted online, including through doxing and threats. These retaliatory acts must be treated with the seriousness they deserve, and those responsible should be held accountable under applicable laws.
He noted that CAIR’s 2025 Civil Rights Report found that its offices nationwide received 8,658 complaints in 2024—more than 1,800 of them in California—marking the highest volume of civil rights complaints since CAIR began tracking this data in 1996.
Hussein said Washington, D.C., based CAIR and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging antisemitism, systemic anti-Black racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, white supremacy, and all other forms of bigotry.
CAIR-MN’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: Jaylani Hussein, Executive Director, CAIR-MN, 612-406-0070, jhussein@cair.com; Suleiman Adan, Deputy Director, CAIR-MN, 612-408-7183, sadan@cair.com