(SEATTLE, WA, 5/6/2024) The Washington chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-WA) today called on elected officials to immediately speak out against Islamophobia and hate after a violent attack on a Muslim woman at a peaceful demonstration in Bellevue this past weekend.
A local group has been peacefully making Palestinian flags visible in Bellevue each weekend. For the past two weekends (April 28 and May 5), Muslim women at the demonstration have been attacked by counter-protestors. In a video, counter-protestors holding Israeli flags continue touching and pushing two women who repeatedly ask them to back off, until a counterprotestor violently pushes one of the young women to the ground.
“We are truly disturbed by this incident of a young Muslim woman being assaulted while she was peacefully protesting for Palestinian rights,” said Imraan Siddiqi, Executive Director at CAIR-WA. “Violence against peaceful protestors is a growing problem, as evidenced by the hostile mobs attacking encampments at colleges across the country. Actions like this should be widely condemned by elected officials and policy makers.”
According to the protestors, what’s not captured on video is that the attacker returned to harm the young woman again. Police were called and came to the scene but did not arrest the attacker, rather allowed him to stay and continue to intimidate and harass the protestors.
CAIR-WA seeks justice and calls on elected officials to speak out against this example of Islamophobic and hateful 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-WA Senior Communications and Marketing Strategist Katie Walker, kwalker@cair.com, 425-367-9116