(WASHINGTON, D.C., 11/20/23) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed action from the D.C. Metro Transit Police Department to identify the suspect allegedly heard making threats to behead a Palestinian Muslim woman on the D.C. Metro in mid-October.
On Friday, the Metro Transit Police Department shared a photo of the suspect and called on the public to help in identifying him on the social media platform X.
SEE: Metro Transit Police Seek to Identify D.C. Metro Suspect
On October 18, a Palestinian Muslim woman and two friends were traveling on the Orange Line of the D.C. Metro on their way to a peaceful protest for Palestinian human rights when a white male individual was reportedly heard on video threatening to behead her and reportedly flashed a firearm before exiting the train.
The woman and her friends wore Palestine-related clothing, such as the keffiyeh, a traditional Palestinian scarf, and carried several signs, including one that read “Free Palestine.”
On Thursday, CAIR called on the Metro Transit Police Department to identify and arrest the suspect. On Friday, CAIR held a news conference with the alleged victim to highlight inaction by the police until that date.
In a statement, CAIR Research & Advocacy Coordinator Farah Afify said:
“We welcome the recent action taken by Metro Transit Police to finally take this threat against a Palestinian Muslim woman seriously.
“Threats against Muslims, Palestinians, and Arab-Americans continue to rise across the country as we witness an unprecedented surge in bigotry. Actions taken to identify and arrest those making such threats send a clear message that this kind of anti-Muslim and anti-Arab rhetoric and hate is not welcome or tolerated.”
She urged anyone with information about the case to contact the Metro Transit Police Department immediately.
Afify also encouraged those experiencing similar acts of aggression, racism, and Islamophobia to call their local CAIR offices and report these incidents immediately.
SEE ALSO: CAIR’s Report an Incident Form
[NOTE: More than 100,000 Americans have used CAIR’s action alert to contact their members of Congress and call for an end to the violence and the renewal of U.S.-led efforts to end the occupation. SEE: Urge Your Members of Congress to Address Root Cause of Mideast Violence]
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-999-8292, 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