Muslim civil rights group to hold virtual conference at 3 p.m. ET
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 11/17/23) – Later today, Nov. 17 at 3 p.m. ET, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, plans to hold a virtual press conference with a Palestinian-American Muslim woman who says D.C. Metro Transit Police Department have failed to act in the month since an unidentified man on the DC metro flashed a gun and threatened to behead her because of her Palestinian-themed clothing.
WHAT: CAIR Virtual News Conference
WHEN: Friday, Nov. 17 @ 3 pm ET
WHERE: Live on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cair
NOTE: Reporters who wish to directly participate in the press conference and ask questions can request to receive an access link by contacting CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com
Yesterday, CAIR sent a letter to the DC Metro Police expressing concern about the incident and reports that the officers assigned to investigate the incident dismissed its seriousness, questioning whether the man’s comment about beheading rose to the level of a threat.
SEE: CAIR Letter to Metro Transit Police
BACKGROUND
On October 18, the Muslim woman and two acquaintances rode the Orange Line on the D.C. Metro on their way to a protest for Palestinian human rights. She wore a keffiyeh, a traditional Palestinian scarf, and the group held signs, including one that read “Free Palestine.”
The Muslim woman claims that a white male was staring at them before he then allegedly said: “You people are f****** disgusting” and “How’d you like to lose your life?” At that point she started recording the man with her phone.
In video made available to CAIR, the male individual is heard asking: “How’d you like to lose yours? How’d you like to have your head beheaded?” According to the victim and two witnesses, the man also possessed a firearm, which he removed slightly from his pocket while making these remarks. He allegedly made other aggressive remarks toward the woman and her acquaintances before leaving the train at the Foggy Bottom-GWU station.
She immediately reported the incident to the Metro Transit Police Department and shared details of the incident with an officer, detective, and sergeant at the station, who allegedly questioned the claim that a firearm was brandished and argued that this individual’s remarks did not constitute an explicit threat to her life.
In a statement, CAIR Research & Advocacy Coordinator Farah Afify said:
“Almost one month after the incident, the Metro Transit Police Department has not yet identified and arrested the suspect. We call on all relevant law enforcement agencies to quickly identify, arrest and prosecute the man allegedly responsible for these terroristic, hateful threats against a Muslim woman and others wearing Palestinian-themed clothing.
“Asking a Muslim woman if she would like to be beheaded and flashing a weapon at her is the very definition of a hate crime.
“It is unacceptable that nearly a month is gone by without an arrest, even though the man was captured on cellphone and security camera video. We all know how seriously this incident would have been taken if a person of a different faith or ethnicity had been targeted. Muslim and Palestinian victims of crime matter as much as everyone else.”
“This man must be caught and prosecuted. Now.”
She said this incident comes as Muslims, Arabs, and Palestinians across the country report a surge in anti-Muslim and anti-Arab hate since the escalation of violence in Palestine and Israel last month. Last week, CAIR released new data indicating a 216% surge in complaints, including reported incidents of bias, reported to its offices since the start of the crisis on October 7th.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations encourages 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