The Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today commended Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair for displaying the name of Hind Rajab, a Palestinian girl murdered by the Israeli military along with several of her relatives and paramedics who attempted to rescue her, during an NFL game this week.
The NFL has reportedly fined the player over $11,000 for allegedly violating a league rule forbidding unapproved messages. The league fined him earlier this year for wearing the message “Stop Genocide,” which the Israeli government’s supporters recognized as a reference to Israel’s conduct even though his message did not mention Israel.
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Al-Shaair picked the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund for the My Cause My Cleats fundraiser and has also met with Gaza families who were receiving treatment in Houston.
In a statement, CAIR-Houston Director of Operations Imran Ghani said:
“We commend Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair for using his platform to highlight the memory of Hind Rajab, one of the many children murdered by the Israeli government during its genocide in Gaza. Like Muhammad Ali and other athletes of conscience before him, Azeez Al-Shaair is using his platform to stand up for justice. We applaud him and encourage others to follow suit in standing up for human rights, from Gaza to Sudan and elsewhere.
“The NFL has no problem with coaches wearing pins developed for genocide supporter Robert Kraft’s “Stand Up to Jewish Hate” campaign, and it should have no problem with an NFL player mentioning the name of a girl killed in that genocide.
“Azeez Al-Shaair’s message was rooted in basic human decency and concern for innocent lives. That should not be controversial, much less subject to a fine.”
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CONTACT: CAIR-Houston Director of Operations Imran Ghani, [email protected], 713.922.5270; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, [email protected]; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, [email protected]