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 welcomed the arrest and felony hate crime charges filed against David Pokorny, 45, of El Cerrito, for allegedly sending racist death threats to Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee.
SEE: Man Arrested for Making Death Threats Against Mayor Barbara Lee
Pokorny was arrested last week and charged with threatening a public official, along with hate-crime allegations, for emails sent in September that contained racial slurs, threats to kill Black Oakland residents, and explicit death threats against Mayor Lee.
In a statement, CAIR-SFBA Executive Director Zahra Billoo said:
“The arrest of the suspect sends a clear, powerful message: Hate and intimidation will not be tolerated in our democracy or our communities. The threats allegedly sent to Mayor Lee were vile and racist, targeting not just a public servant, but the entire Black community in Oakland. We stand in unequivocal solidarity with Mayor Lee and all Black residents against this hateful attack.
“When public officials are targeted with death threats for serving their community, it is a direct assault on our democratic process. We welcome the felony hate-crime charges and call upon the District Attorney’s office to prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law. Accountability is the only way to ensure our elected leaders and the communities they represent can do their work free from fear.”
The first email, sent on September 7, reportedly used racial slurs and threatened to kill Black Oakland residents, government officials, police officers, and judges. The most recent email, sent on September 21, directly threatened Mayor Lee, stating, “You are a psychopath, and I’m going to torture and murder you.”
In response to the threats, Mayor Lee stated, “Violence has no place in our city or our democracy. Intimidation and hate will not silence Oakland public servants or the communities we represent.”
CAIR-SFBA supports Mayor Lee’s firm stance and reaffirms its commitment to combating all forms of bigotry, including anti-Black racism.
Community members who experience or witness bias incidents, hate crimes, or threats are strongly encouraged to report them immediately to local law enforcement and to contact CAIR-SFBA for guidance, support, and legal 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