The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed charges against a man after he was reportedly captured on video harassing Hispanic men in a racist tirade in Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina.
Washington, D.C., based CAIR also reiterated its past support for a hate crime law in that state. South Carolina is one of just two states without a hate crime law.
The man was charged with felony kidnapping, impersonating a law enforcement officer, larceny and fraudulent removal or secreting personal property and third-degree assault and battery. The charges stem from a video posted on social media, where he is seen removing the keys from the vehicle of Hispanic men, accusing them of not having a license, mocking them with curse words, and saying, “You’re going back to Mexico.”
SEE: South Carolina man arrested, faces multiple charges after racist tirade goes viral
“We welcome the charges in this disturbing incident and thank law enforcement for apprehending the suspect,” said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. “We stand in solidarity with the Hispanic community and all those targeted by violent hate and bigotry. South Carolina should pass a hate crime law that would help deter such allegedly bias-motivated incidents.”
Washington, D.C., based CAIR and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging antisemitism, systemic anti-Black racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, white supremacy, and all other forms of bigotry.
END
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