Press Releases
CAIR-Texas Calls on Elected Officials to Condemn Harassment of Praying Muslims in Plano
The Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Texas), a chapter of thenation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on elected officials to condemn the reported bias-motivated harassment of a group of Muslim praying in a Plano park on Sunday.
According to media reports, a man approached the group during prayer and allegedly shouted Islamophobic slurs, calling Islam a “disgusting fake religion” and yelling that worshippers would “go to hell.” The incident, which was captured on video, has raised concerns within the local Muslim community about rising hostility and the safety of those exercising their constitutional right to practice their faith.
The alleged hate incident comes amid what community members describe as a manufactured smear campaign by certain Texas leaders targeting Muslims and Islam.
[NOTE: In December, CAIR-Texas called on Governor Greg Abbott, Attorney General Ken Paxton and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) to condemn the targeted harassment of a group of Austin Muslims at a local public park and to stop fomenting anti-Muslim hate across the state.]
In a statement, Mustafaa Carroll, CAIR-DFW Executive Director, said:
“No one should be harassed, threatened, or intimidated for peacefully practicing their faith. The hateful rhetoric reportedly directed at these worshippers is deeply offensive and dangerous.
“When public officials traffic in fearmongering and misinformation about Islam and Muslim institutions, it creates an environment in which bias incidents like this become more likely.
“We call on elected officials at every level of government to speak out clearly and consistently against anti-Muslim bigotry and to reaffirm that Muslims are valued and equal members of our Texas communities.”
CAIR-Texas also encourages anyone who experiences or witnesses a bias incident to report it to local authorities and to the civil rights organization.
REPORT AN INCIDENT: https://www.cair.com/report/
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: Shaimaa Zayan, CAIR-Austin Operations Manager, (512) 785-7105, szayan@cair.com; Mustafaa Carroll, CAIR-DFW Executive Director, (832) 549-1042, mcarroll@cair.com; Imran Ghani, CAIR-Houston Director, (713) 922-5270, ighani@cair.com
