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 strongly condemned an alleged hate crime targeting individuals advocating for Palestine and called on law enforcement to conduct a swift, thorough investigation.
On May 5, shortly after two volunteers with the Northern California Islamic Council had placed banners calling for peace in Gaza on a Menlo Park highway overpass, an unidentified man approached them and allegedly demanded they immediately remove the banners. After he reportedly ripped down one of the banners, witnesses captured the following acts on video:
- Destruction of Property: The man ripped down the second banner and attempted to throw one off the overpass into traffic below.
- Verbal Harassment: He repeatedly shouted at the volunteers.
- Physical Assault: He aggressively shoved one volunteer and attempted to grab the phone of a bystander recording the incident.
- Theft and Reckless Endangerment: He seized the volunteers’ sunglasses and beanie, throwing them off the bridge onto the highway, along with their backpack, posing significant risk to passing motorists.
SEE: Video Footage of the Assault
This incident—the third assault reported to CAIR-SFBA against pro-Palestine advocates bannering in the Bay Area since the onset of the war in Gaza—occurred amid rising Islamophobia and widespread anti-Muslim, anti-Arab, and anti-Palestinian hostility across the country. Last month, CAIR released its 2024 civil rights report, which revealed the highest number of civil rights complaints in the organization’s 30-year history.
SEE: Hate-crime charges pursued in San Jose pro-Gaza banner thefts
SEE:2024 Civil Rights Report: Fatal: The Resurgence of Anti-Muslim Hate
In a statement, CAIR-SFBA Executive Director Zahra Billoo said:
“This violent assault on pro-Palestine activists is an affront to their basic rights and a troubling manifestation of the rising anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim rhetoric heard across the state and nation since Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza began. Images of law enforcement brutally assaulting and arresting peaceful protesters on college campuses also serve to embolden those who harbor hate and intolerance.
“No individual should ever face such aggression and violence for peacefully expressing their beliefs. We demand swift and decisive action from law enforcement, including arrest and hate crime charges, to ensure that the alleged perpetrator is held accountable for his reported actions.”
CAIR-SFBA reaffirms its unwavering commitment to defending the rights of individuals to advocate freely without fear of intimidation or harm and encourages anyone experiencing acts of aggression, racism, or Islamophobia to contact its Civil Rights Department at 408.986.9874 or visit bit.ly/cairsfbareport.
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, ladam@cair.com, 408.498.5779