The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed an apology by a Virginia election official for an incident in which a large Israeli flag was hung directly above a voting machine in a polling station in Alexandria.
SEE IMAGE OF ISRAELI FLAG NEAR VOTING MACHINE.
In a statement, Director of Elections & General Registrar Angela Maniglia-Turner apologized for making voters feel uncomfortable. She told local media: “The layout of the polling place was not meant in any way to send a political or religious message. To the extent that any voter was made to feel uncomfortable by the location of the voting equipment, we sincerely apologize… Moving forward we will continue to work with all our partners to ensure a welcoming atmosphere in all 32 of the City of Alexandria’s election precincts.”
Yesterday, CAIR called on election officials with the General Registrar and Director of Elections in Alexandria, Virginia, to investigate a report of the Israeli flag hung inside a polling station at a synagogue.
According to a complaint filed with CAIR, a local voter in Alexandria went to her polling place and noticed the flag above the voting machine. There were no other Israeli flags present inside the room, leading the complainant to conclude that the flag had been deliberately placed over the voting machine to make a political statement. A voting official told CAIR that the report would be investigated.
“We welcome the apology for this inappropriate display of a foreign government’s flag directly above a voting machine,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. “Voting sites should be free of symbols designed to intimidate voters or make a political statement, especially not symbols appearing to express support for a foreign government currently engaged in genocide and ethnic cleansing.”
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, 202-742-6448, 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