Islamophobia in the US, May 1- 4, 2016, a CAIR Report

Muslim civil rights group offers $1,000 reward for leads resulting in conviction of perpetrator

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator of a hate attack on a Muslim woman in Washington, D.C., during which the attacker allegedly shouted religious slurs and statements of support for GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump.

CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad released a video appeal offering the reward in return for information that leads to a conviction.

“It is important that the community stand with anyone targeted by hate,” said Awad.

The Muslim woman, who is African-American and wears an Islamic head scarf (hijab), reported to CAIR that she was assaulted on April 21 outside a Starbucks in northwest Washington. According to the victim, the alleged assailant shouted slurs such as “f**king Muslim” and “f**king Muslim trash,” and told her to “go back to where you came from.” The white, blonde-haired attacker also reportedly stated that she was voting for Donald Trump and expressed hope that he would send “all of you terrorist Muslims out of this country.”

After the alleged victim called 911, an officer arrived at the scene, but said he could not do anything about the hate rhetoric because it was “freedom of speech.” When the officer left, the alleged attacker walked away, but then returned, approached the victim from behind and poured an unknown liquid over her head.

Police are investigating the incident as a hate crime and have released a video of the attack.

The attack occurred at a time of rising Islamophobia nationwide, prompted at least in part by anti-Muslim rhetoric employed by public figures like Donald Trump.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, announced today that it's Maryland Outreach Manager Dr. Zainab Chaudry successfully graduated from the Maryland Public Policy Conflict Resolution Fellows Program.

The fellows program, coordinated by the Center for Dispute Resolution at the University of Maryland Carey School of Law (C-DRUM) and the Maryland Judiciary's Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO), consists of intensive, comprehensive, and broad-based mediation training for scholars, elected officials, and community and faith leaders

The 27-member Class of 2016 includes state senators and delegates, members of the Maryland Judiciary, state secretaries, and other distinguished fellows.

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

(OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, 5/3/2016) – The Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-OK) today welcomed state and federal hate crime investigations of the stabbing of a Savanna, Okla., gas station clerk who was reportedly called a “terrorist” by the alleged attacker.

Larry Johnson allegedly went into the gas station and accused the clerk of being a “terrorist,” then stabbed him twice, puncturing his lungs. Johnson was apprehended as he tried to drive away and was booked on a complaint of attempted first-degree murder.

The clerk, reportedly of Bangladeshi heritage, was taken to a Tulsa hospital and is expected to recover. Because Johnson made statements consistent with a hate crime, state law enforcement authorities and the FBI are investigating a bias motive.

“We welcome the investigation of this terrible attack as a hate crime and call for the attacker to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said CAIR-OK Civil Rights Director Veronica Laizure.

The apparently hate-motivated crime comes after months of anti-Muslim rhetoric, including presidential candidate Donald Trump alluding to the murder of Muslims using bullets “dipped in pig’s blood” and presidential candidate Ted Cruz suggesting that Muslim neighborhoods be patrolled by law enforcement.

“The tragic news of this hate-drive attack on a gas station clerk reaches us at a time when Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hate rhetoric has reached an all-time high in our country,” said CAIR-OK Executive Director Adam Soltani. “It should serve as a reminder to us all the when hate rhetoric and bigotry go unchecked in society it can have very real consequences on the lives of our fellow citizens.”

Hate crimes against Muslim have arisen across the country. A Vermont man was charged with a hate crime after pointing a gun at a Muslim woman wearing hijab and calling her a terrorist. In Washington, D.C., a Muslim woman was assaulted and called “Muslim trash” before her assailant poured a drink on her.

Crimes against individuals who are perceived as Middle Eastern or Muslim have also spiked; a Sikh bus driver in Los Angeles, CA, was attacked by a passenger calling him a “terrorist” and a “suicide bomber,” and in Fresno, CA, a Sikh temple was vandalized with messages referring to ISIS. In Norman, Okla., last year, a man called 911 stating his intention to “start shooting anything that looks like a Muslim,” prompting evacuation of the nearby Islamic Center of Norman.

The Greater Los Angeles Area chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) today announced the filing of a lawsuit in Los Angeles federal court on behalf of a Muslim woman who allegedly had her religious head scarf (hijab) forcibly removed by a male officer of the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD).

Kirsty Powell and her husband, who are both African-American, were driving near Market St. and Long Beach Boulevard when they were pulled over by the LBPD. Powell was arrested on an outstanding warrant. During the arrest she was told by the officers that she would have to remove her head scarf. Powell made several requests for a female officer to search her. The officers informed her that she was, "not allowed to wear her hijab” and that they were “allowed to touch a woman.”

While handcuffed at the station house, the arresting officer allegedly forcibly removed Powell’s religious head covering and forced her to remain exposed overnight, in plain view of other male officers and dozens of inmates.

“The actions taken by the Long Beach Police officers were unwarranted and a serious violation of Mrs. Powell’s bodily integrity,” said CAIR-LA Civil Rights attorney Yalda Satar. “The manner in which Mrs. Powell was treated by LBPD officers was simply a show of authority over a woman of color who was unable to protect herself, and is another example of the type of discrimination faced by women who wear a hijab.”

Satar added that religious rights are particularly important for police to protect, given the rise in hate crimes against the American Muslim community.

During Powell’s booking and subsequent search, at least four female officers were on duty, including one that escorted her to a holding cell after her headscarf had been removed.

“I would never want anyone to go through what I felt from this experience, it was horrible,” said Powell. “I want my Muslim sisters to always feel comfortable and safe wearing a hijab and to stand up for what's right. We are all human, we all deserve justice.”

Policies allowing for religious head wear have been adopted at the federal level and by neighboring counties, such as Orange County and San Bernardino.

Two years ago, LBPD investigated an incident involving the removal of a Muslim-American woman's hijab and deemed it a "hate crime." Police Chief Jim McDonnell stated that “crimes of this nature will not be tolerated in our city."

The lawsuit, filed in conjunction with First Amendment and Human Rights attorney Carey Shenkman, alleges violations under the First Amendment, Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), Bane Act, and the California Constitution.

"There was no excuse for male officers to strip Mrs. Powell's First Amendment freedoms and dignity from her, in front of other male officers and dozens of inmates. The LBPD must honor its pledge that prejudice toward Muslim-American women will 'not be tolerated in our city," said Shenkman.

CAIR offers a booklet, called “A Law Enforcement Official’s Guide to the Muslim Community,” which outlines basic information about Islamic beliefs that are relevant to law enforcement. It also cover issues such as the rights of Muslim law enforcement officers, religiously-sensitive techniques for body searches, proper etiquette for entering Muslim homes, and advice on outreach to the Islamic community.

CONTACT: CAIR-LA Communications Coordinator Ojaala Ahmad, 714-776-1847 or email oahmad@cair.com

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today said leading GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump’s continued use of a debunked anti-Muslim myth is endangering ordinary American Muslims who are already facing a surge in hate.

At a rally yesterday in California, Trump repeated the myth about U.S. Gen. John Pershing executing Muslim prisoners in the Philippines using bullets dipped in pig’s blood. Disturbingly, the audience erupted in applause in response to that Islamophobic hoax, which Trump first related at a rally in South Carolina last February. At that time, Politifact investigated the claim and rated it “Pants on Fire.”

CAIR has previously stated that Trump’s pig’s blood claim and other instances of his Islamophobic rhetoric, including his calling for a ban on all Muslims entering the United States, his false claim that “Islam hates us,” his refusal to rule out special IDs for American Muslims, and his willingness to consider closing down American mosques place millions of innocent, law-abiding citizens in the American Muslim community at risk.

“It is deeply disturbing that a leading candidate for the nation’s highest office continues to repeat an Islamophobic myth that he must certainly know to be false. Equally disturbing is the positive response of Mr. Trump’s supporters to this violence-inspiring hoax.

“Mr. Trump, because of his continued use of Islamophobic rhetoric, must shoulder at least part of the blame for the recent spike in anti-Muslim bias, discrimination and hate crimes.”

CAIR has reported an unprecedented spike in anti-Muslim incidents nationwide since the Paris terror attacks, the San Bernardino shootings and Trump’s bigoted call for a complete ban on Muslims entering the United States.

Just today, CAIR asked the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., to preserve any surveillance video covering the site of an alleged attack on a Muslim woman by another woman shouting religious slurs and statements of support for Trump.

The Washington-based Muslim civil rights group is asking Muslim community members to report any bias incidents to police and to CAIR's Civil Rights Department at 202-742-6420 or by filing a report at: http://www.cair.com/civil-rights/report-an-incident/view/form.html

If you believe your rights have been violated, you may call CAIR's Civil Rights Department at 202-742-6420 or email civilrights@cair.com .

CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com ;

CAIR Communications Coordinator Nabeelah Naeem, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, nnaeem@cair.com