The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on law enforcement authorities to investigate an incident at Cornell University targeting a Muslim student as a possible hate crime.
In a statement, Cornell University President Martha E. Pollack said she learned that “a Muslim Cornell student was spat upon yesterday while walking in Collegetown.”
SEE: President Pollack “horrified” after Islamophobic act reported, says Cornell
In a statement, CAIR-NY Executive Director Afaf Nasher said:
“We welcome President Pollack’s statement condemning this incident and urge university, state and federal law enforcement authorities to investigate it as a possible hate crime. Students must be able to learn in an educational environment free of intimidation or attack.”
Nasher added that earlier this week, CAIR’s Chicago chapter called on state and federal law enforcement authorities to investigate vandalism targeting a downtown Chicago mosque as a possible hate crime.
She noted the rise in anti-Muslim and anti-Arab incidents tracked by CAIR, and the role that irresponsible remarks from elected officials plays in feeding them.
On Saturday, CAIR’s Connecticut chapter called on state and federal law enforcement authorities to investigate a bag of pork left at the entrance of Masjid An Noor in Bridgeport as a possible hate crime.
Last week, CAIR called for hate crime charges to be filed against two individuals for an incident in which one of them allegedly urinated on the doorstep of a Tennessee mosque.
Washington, D.C., based CAIR recently released new civil rights data showing that it has received 3,578 complaints during the last three months of 2023 amid an ongoing wave of anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian hate.
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CONTACT: Afaf Nasher, Esq., CAIR-NY Executive Director, 917-669-4006, anasher@cair.com;
Rabea Ali, CAIR-NY Communications Coordinator, 347-651-0954, rali@cair.com