(WASHINGTON, DC, 11/26/2023) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator or perpetrators of a shooting Saturday targeting three Palestinian university students in Burlington, Vermont.
CAIR also called on state and federal law enforcement authorities in Vermont to investigate a possible bias motive for the shooting.
Local media reports have confirmed that all three are of Palestinian descent. According to Husam Zomlot, Head of Palestinian Mission to the UK, the victims were all students at Brown and other universities. He said they were on their way to a family dinner. Their alma mater, the Ramallah Friends School, also identified the three students. Reports indicate the students were wearing Palestinian scarves, or keffiyehs, at the time of the shooting.
The injured men were transported to UVM Medical Center. No suspect is yet in custody.
SEE: Police Say Three Shot in Burlington
https://www.wcax.com/2023/11/26/police-say-three-shot-downtown-burlington/
Three Palestinian College Students Shot in Vermont, Burlington Police Search For Suspect
“Due to the unprecedented spike in anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian hate and violence we have witnessed in recent weeks, local, state and national law enforcement authorities must investigate a possible bias motive for the shooting of these three young men,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. “We hope our reward will result in information leading to an arrest in this case.”
He noted that CAIR recently welcomed arrests in two recent alleged anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian hate crimes in New York.
Awad also cited the murder of a 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy and the wounding of his mother who were “targeted by the suspect due to them being Muslim and the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict involving Hamas and the Israelis.”
These incidents come as Muslims, Arabs, and Palestinians across the country report a surge in anti-Muslim and anti-Arab hate since the escalation of violence in Palestine and Israel last month. Earlier this month, CAIR released new data indicating a 216 percent surge in complaints, including reported incidents of bias, reported to its offices since the start of the crisis on October 7th.
Washington, D.C., based CAIR is encouraging those experiencing similar acts of aggression, racism, and Islamophobia to call their local CAIR offices and report these incidents immediately.
SEE ALSO: CAIR’s Report an Incident Form
[NOTE: More than 100,000 Americans have used CAIR’s action alert to contact their members of Congress and call for an end to the violence and the renewal of U.S.-led efforts to end the occupation. SEE: Urge Your Members of Congress to Address Root Cause of Mideast Violence]
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 National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, 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