CAIR Press Releases

CAIR Minnesota to Call for Bias Probe Following Assault on Muslim Woman and Good Samaritan Amid Rising Hate Crimes

(Minneapolis, MN, 11/7/23) – On Tuesday, Nov. 7, the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations Minnesota (CAIR-MN) plans to hold a news conference to call for a detailed bias probe into the November 2 assault on Ms. Sabrina Yahya, a Somali Muslim woman, and a young man who intervened to help her.

The incident occurred at approximately 4:40 PM at the Holiday Gas Station on Franklin Ave in South Minneapolis.

What began as a dispute over queue placement rapidly devolved into a violent encounter. The attacker, who used a knife-like object to injure both individuals, explicitly expressed anti-Muslim sentiments, according to the victims. This assault coincides with a troubling rise in hate crimes, which have seen an uptick in correlation with the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza, targeting both Muslim and Jewish communities.

WHAT: Press Conference on Recent Assault and Increase in Hate Crimes

WHEN: Tuesday, November 7, 2023, 12:30 PM Central Daylight Time

WHERE: CAIR-MN Office, 2511 East Franklin Minneapolis, MN 55406

CONTACT: Osman Ahmed, Director of Advocacy, CAIR-MN, (612) 459-0334, o-ahmed@cair.com; or Jaylani Hussein, Executive Director, CAIR-Minnesota, (612) 406-0070, jhussein@cair.com

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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