AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) has condemned an Islamophobic and racist assault on an Iranian and Palestinian couple in the New York City subway.
The Muslim civil rights organization stated that the incident reflects the ongoing threat of hate crimes and discrimination targeting Muslim and immigrant communities in the city.
According to a video posted by Ariana Jasmine, a woman who identified herself as Jewish and a supporter of Donald Trump verbally assaulted her and her companion, “Yousef,” calling them “terrorists.” Mocking Yousef’s Palestinian scarf (keffiyeh), the woman referred to it as a “terrorist towel” and claimed that “Palestine doesn’t exist.”
Even after moving away from the couple, the woman continued her verbal abuse. The video of the incident has garnered over two million views on Instagram, with many Muslim New Yorkers sharing similar experiences of harassment and discrimination for wearing cultural attire such as the keffiyeh.
In a statement, Afaf Nasher, Executive Director of CAIR-NY, said that the hateful behavior underscores the deeply rooted Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian bias in New York City, adding that no one should ever feel unsafe because of their faith, ethnicity, or cultural identity.
She urged city officials and law enforcement agencies to thoroughly investigate the case and take concrete educational and supportive measures to promote understanding and prevent further division.
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