The San Francisco Bay Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SFBA), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called for a hate crime investigation of an alleged hate assault targeting an elderly Muslim man and his daughter following Taraweeh (a night prayer performed by Muslims during Ramadan) in Morgan Hill. This incident marks the fourth hate crime reported to CAIR-SFBA in less than two weeks.
[MEDIA NOTE: Tomorrow, CAIR-SFBA will hold a press conference at its office in Santa Clara to highlight findings from CAIR’s annual civil rights report. CAIR’s Washington, D.C., headquarters will also issue a national version of that report.]
According to reports, the assailant initially shouted, “Are you Palestinian?! Are you Hamas?!” before pushing the elderly man. The attacker then turned to his daughter, yelling “You people!” and “I love Israel!” while continuing to verbally harass them. The incident follows other recent hate acts in the area, including vandalism of a local business and harassment of community members outside mosques.
In a statement, CAIR-SFBA Executive Director Zahra Billoo said:
“We are deeply disturbed by this hateful attack on community members leaving their place of worship. We call on local authorities to swiftly investigate this as a potential hate crime and to ensure the safety of all residents. We also urge people to remain vigilant and report any harassment or assaults to both law enforcement and CAIR-SFBA.”
CAIR-SFBA encourages the community to take the following steps if they witness or experience a bias incident:
- Stay Alert: Be aware of your surroundings, especially near houses of worship and community centers.
- Document the Incident: Record details. If it is safe, gather witness accounts, photos, or video.
- Report to Law Enforcement: Request that the incident be investigated and documented as a hate crime if appropriate.
- Contact CAIR-SFBA for Support: Visit ca.cair.com/sfba/report-hate-discrimination or call 408.986.9874 to file a report and seek assistance.
CAIR-SFBA is an office of CAIR, America’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.
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CONTACT: CAIR-SFBA Communications Manager Lorrie Adam, 408.498.5779, ladam@cair.com