The Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), today welcomed the sentencing of Kenneth Levy of Kensington, Maryland, who faced two counts 2nd degree assault and two counts of malicious destruction of property for hurling eggs at an anti-genocide car caravan in September.
Case Numbers: D-06-CR-24-006123
D-06-CR-24-006452
D-06-CR-24-006451
Judge Aileen Oliver placed Levy on unsupervised probation for a period of one year, during which he must complete a mandatory anger management course and community service. Levy’s attorneys must provide proof of completion to the court. Violating the probation could lead to jail time.
“This incident is not just an act of vandalism; it represents a troubling trend of anti-Palestinian sentiment that seeks to silence voices advocating against genocide for justice and human rights,” said CAIR’s Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry. “We want to acknowledge the courage of activists and plaintiffs who pursued justice in this case.”
BACKGROUNDER:
During a peaceful Sept. 8 car rally protesting Israel’s ongoing U.S. backed genocide in Gaza, as determined by the United Nations and Amnesty International, activists were driving their vehicles in a caravan along a route in Kensington, Maryland. Car windows displayed messaging imploring neighbors and community members to urge U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md) to support Joint Resolutions of Disapproval on arms sales to Israel and to stop the misuse of taxpayer dollars by funding Israel’s well-documented violations of international humanitarian law and basic rights of Palestinians. The demonstration was reportedly in compliance with local noise ordinances on public roads, and did not obstruct traffic.
A video played at trial showed that, Levy, 54, suddenly emerged from his house at 5:40 pm and threw a barrage of eggs at the caravan as it passed his house on Kensington Pkwy, striking several vehicles.
One activist and plaintiff, Dr. Azra Jalisi, described Levy to be “very angry-looking” and “aiming precisely at the cars and so I’m thinking, is he going to come down? Is he going to punch us? I was fumbling for my phone…We were very scared.”
Last month, CAIR welcomed hate crime charge in the case of an anti-Palestinian incident in Baltimore.
CAIR noted that the incident reflects a broader pattern of hostility and intolerance towards Palestinian Americans and the Muslim community at large.
The civil rights group stands in solidarity with all those fighting hate, and underscores the need to address and combat bigotry, intolerance and discrimination.
In August, CAIR announced civil rights data on issues impacting Muslim and Arab communities in Maryland. That data highlights a troubling trend in reports of discrimination, free speech violations, hate bias incidents and bullying, among other concerns. CAIR documented 413 cases of anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian complaints, incidents and requests for assistance statewide in Maryland between January – June 2024
SEE Video: CAIR’s Maryland Office Announces 413 New Complaints from January-June 2024
From January to June 2024, CAIR documented 4,951 incoming bias complaints nationwide, a 69 percent increase over the same period in 2023.
SEE: New CAIR Data Shows Anti-Muslim, Anti-Palestinian Hate Remain Elevated in First Half of 2024
Earlier this year, CAIR’s national office released its 2024 civil rights report, which revealed the highest number of complaints it has ever received in its 30-year history. Titled “Fatal: The Resurgence of Anti-Muslim Hate,” the report documented 8,061 complaints. Nearly half of all complaints received in 2023 were reported in the final three months of the year.
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 Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, [email protected], 410-971-6062; CAIR Maryland Outreach Coordinator Kim Syuardi, [email protected]; CAIR Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, [email protected]