News Conference Today to Address the Recent Hate-Motivated Murder of a Sacramento Muslim    

CAIR-SV to Call for Rejection of Islamophobia After Calif. Muslim Shot Dead in Hate Attack

 

(SACRAMENTO, CA, 3/27/14) - Later today, the Sacramento Valley chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SV) will hold a news conference with the brother of the victim, community leaders and law enforcement officials to address the recent hate-motivated murder of a Sacramento Muslim. 

 

WHAT: News Conference to Denounce Hate Murder, Growing Islamophobia

WHEN: Thursday, March 27, 1 p.m.

WHERE: CAIR-SV Office, 717 K Street, Suite 217, Sacramento, CA 95814

CONTACT: CAIR-SV Executive Director Basim Elkarra, 916-441-6269, 916-289-3748, [email protected]

This news conference comes after a Muslim man of Iraqi heritage was shot and killed in a Home Depot parking lot allegedly because the assailant had"severe hatred"of Middle Easterners and was incensed by the Islamic headscarf (hijab) worn by the victim's sister.

 

Police say Hassan Alawsi's assailant stalked him in the Sacramento, Calif., parking lot before gunning him down on March 16.

 

SEE: Authorities Describe Killing of Man Outside Home Depot as Racially Motivated (Sacramento Bee)

http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/26/6271774/authorities-describe-killing-of.html

 

"Only clear condemnation of increasing anti-Muslim rhetoric in our society will send the message that the targeting of American Muslims because of their faith or appearance is unacceptable," said CAIR-SV Executive Director Basim Elkarra. "For too long, our nation's leaders have remained silent as hate-mongers spew their Islamophobic venom."

 

Elkarra noted that the mother of a CAIR-SV board member was recently targeted by a man shouting Islamophobic slurs in the parking lot of a local shopping center.

 

Last Sunday, CAIR-SV called on local law enforcement authorities to consider hate crime charges against a man who allegedly called a Muslim woman wearing hijab a "terrorist" and tried to hit her with his car in a Stockton, Calif., parking lot.

 

CAIR: Attack Against Calif. Muslim Woman Investigated as Hate Crime

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-bCwwV2DFQ  

 

CAIR-SV also recently called for a similar investigation of vandalism of a California mosque.

 

Video: CAIR-SV Rep Says Vandalized Mosque Seeks to Educate Others 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDVhdlH-3zo

 

In response to previous attacks on American mosques, CAIR published a booklet called "Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety"

designed to be used by mosque officials, Muslim school administrators and other community leaders and activists who seek to identify and eliminate vulnerabilities to bias-motivated attacks.

 

SEE: CAIR Distributes New Mosque Safety Guidelines http://tinyurl.com/p6678ok

 

To request a free e-copy of CAIR's "Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety," go to: http://www.cair.com/mosque-safety-guide.html

 

CAIR recently published a major report, "Legislating Fear: Islamophobia and its Impact in the United States," which identifies 37 organizations dedicated to promoting the type of anti-Islam prejudice that can lead to bias-motivated incidents targeting American Muslims.

 

SEE: Legislating Fear: Islamophobia and its Impact in the United States

http://www.cair.com/islamophobia/legislating-fear-2013-report.html

 

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.

 

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CONTACT: CAIR-SV Executive Director Basim Elkarra, 916-289-3748, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]; CAIR Communications Manager Amina Rubin, 202-341-4171, [email protected]