CAIR-NJ Condemns Graffiti Defacing Highland Park Mural of Muslim Woman, Welcomes Swift Police Investigation   

(SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ, 4/30/22) – The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) today condemned graffiti defacing a new mural in Highland Park, NJ depicting a Muslim woman wearing an Islamic head scarf, or hijab.

Authorities in Middlesex County are investigating two incidents of graffiti of the new mural located in downtown Highland Park. According to a photo posted to Facebook by the Highland Park Police Department, the defaced portion of the mural depicts a woman wearing the religious head covering.

SEE: Graffiti on New Mural In Middlesex Co. Under Investigation  

https://patch.com/new-jersey/newbrunswick/graffiti-new-mural-middlesex-co-under-investigation

In a statement, CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said:

“It is not enough for local leaders to condemn anti-Muslim hatred publicly on social media. The message must be brought back to their personal circles and intimate gatherings, to those nearest to them, that anti-Muslim hatred is not tolerated here or anywhere. We must make those who harbor anti-Black racism, Islamophobia, antisemitism, xenophobia, and other forms of bigotry feel uncomfortable and unwelcomed in our presence. Hate must be condemned publicly and privately.   

“We thank the Highland Police department for their swift action, and hope they are able to find those responsible for this vandalism.

“Local interfaith leadership and community members in Highland Park have worked hard to make their town welcoming and inclusive of people of all faiths. The vandals wish to erode the bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood built among the diverse local communities through New Jersey, but they will not succeed. We will not let them. Together, our local communities will condemn and overcome this display of ignorance and hate for the sake of a better world.” 

Maksut noted that CAIR recently issued a civil rights report showing the highest-ever number of reported cases.

SEE: Complaints of Anti-Muslim Incidents, Bias on the Rise in New Jersey  

https://north-jerseynews.com/2022/04/28/complaints-of-anti-muslim-incidents-bias-on-the-rise-in-new-jersey/

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) says in a new report it received its highest ever number of civil rights complaints in 2021, including 104 complaints of incidents against Muslims in New Jersey.

“This is an alarming sign that Islamophobia is persistent and systemic in society and government policy,” said Nihad Awad, CAIR National’s Executive Director.  “While we recognize that we’ve made progress as a society in terms of addressing social injustices, our report shows that Islamophobia continues to pose the biggest threat American Muslims are facing.”

“This points toward an ever still rising trend of Islamophobia, or alternatively, CAIR-NJ still reaching the capacity to address the greater, true amount of Islamophobia,” CAIR-New Jersey said in its report. Additionally, CAIR-New Jersey noted that the data does not comprise all incidents of Islamophobia happening in the Garden State, “but reflects a good sample data of the New Jersey population.”

Of New Jersey’s 104 reports, 41 cases, or 39.4%, involved discrimination; 22 cases, or 21.2%, involved law enforcement; and 14 cases, or 13.5%, involved hate and bias, CAIR-New Jersey said.

CAIR-NJ Report: https://cair-nj.org/2022-report/

CAIR National Report:  

https://www.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Still-Suspect-Report-2022.pdf

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

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CAIR-NJ to Join in Presentation of Award to Syrian-American Muslim Hero Zack Tahhan for Assisting Capture of Subway Bombing Suspect 

(SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ, 4/21/2022) – On Friday, April 22, the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) will join Prospect Park Mayor Mohamed T. Khairullah and Mayor Mike Ghassali of the Borough of Montvale to honor Syrian-American Muslim Zack Tahhan with a Good Samaritan Award.

Tahhan is being hailed for spotting and pointing out the Brooklyn subway mass shooting suspect, which helped lead to the capture and arrest of the individual.

WHEN: Friday, April 22, 5 PM 

WHERE: In front of the Prospect Park Municipal Building, 106 Brown Avenue, Prospect Park, NJ

CONTACT: CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut, 908-267-3119, smaksut@cair.com

In a statement, CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said:

“Zack was quick-thinking and showed great courage at a time when many others would hesitate to act. We applaud his bravery. We are grateful to Mayor Khairullah and Mayor Ghassali for organizing the ceremony to honor Zack Tahhan. It is important that we uplift those who do good as an example for others.” 

Maksut said the American Muslim community is very proud of Tahhan for his actions that day. 

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

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CONTACT: CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut, 908-267-3119, smaksut@cair.com

SYRIAN AMERICAN MAYORS TO HONOR LOCAL SYRIAN AMERICAN HERO 

Prospect Park Mayor Mohamed T. Khairullah and Montvale Mayor Mike Ghassali to Honor 

Syrian-American Hero Zack Tahhan with a Key to City and Proclamation 

(PROSPECT PARK, NJ) – Mayor Mohamed T. Khairullah, the Municipal Council, of the Borough of Prospect Park in partnership with Mayor Mike Ghassali of the Borough of Montvale will be holding a joint press conference and ceremony on Friday, April 22, 2022 at 5:00PM in front of the Prospect Park Municipal Building (106 Brown Avenue, Prospect Park, NJ) to honor Syrian American hero and New Jersey resident Zack Tahhan who is being hailed for spotting and pointing out the Brooklyn subway mass shooting suspect which led to the capture and arrest of the individual. 

The 21-year-old New Jerseyan who hails from Aleppo, Syria was immediately celebrated by New Yorkers and his fellow Americans after he quickly jumped to action when he spotted the terror suspect. Mr. Tahhan who works as a security camera technician immediately identified the subway mass shooting suspect to local authorities from photographs released by the NYPD which was widely shared online and in the media while he was updating a closed-circuit TV system at a hardware store in Manhattan’s East Village. Mr. Tahhan’s alertness and bravery in helping capture the Brooklyn subway terrorist, who was armed and dangerous, thus preventing further casualties to the general public, comes in the aftermath of a shocking attack that left 29 people wounded, including five in critical condition. 

“I am happy that the Brooklyn Subway shooter was captured quickly, ending the possibility of any further harm to other innocent lives,” stated Mayor Mohamed T. Khairullah of Prospect Park who will be presenting a ‘Key to the City’ to Zack Tahhan. The irony in the efforts of Mr. Tahhan being a Syrian American who had to flee the war in Syria, is that if he was not born in the United States, he would have never been allowed into the United States because he would be considered a terror suspect, which he proved to be the furthest from and is now he is hailed as an American hero. His story debunks the fear mongers’ narrative and affirms the oneness of our humanity, Mayor Khairullah added. 

“I am incredibly proud of everyone’s efforts to catch the Brooklyn shooter and stop him from causing more harm,” said Mayor Mike Ghassali of Montvale who will be presenting a Proclamation to honor Zack Tahhan’s heroic efforts. “I am especially proud of a fellow Syrian, Zack Tahhan who he himself witnessed atrocities and escaped danger while in Syria and knows what pain and anguish violence brings to families. Zack Tahhan represents the true American Syrian people who love and care for this country and for what it stands for, he is a hero,” Mayor Ghassali added. 

CONTACT: Intashan Chowdhury, MPA 

P: (973) 790-7902 ext. 532 

E: chowdhuryi@prospectpark.net 

CAIR-NJ Welcomes Conviction of Couple for Anti-Muslim Harassment

(SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ, 4/21/2022) – The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the conviction of a Hudson County couple who harassed and threatened a neighbor they perceived to be Muslim.

The couple made threatening remarks to the neighbor on the basis of his perceived religion on several occasions from between 2016 and 2018. One occasion, the husband reportedly made gun gestures with his fingers at the neighbor and his three and seven-year-old children and then ran his finger in a slashing motion across his throat. The couple were initially arrested in 2018 and will be sentenced in June.

SEE: Jersey City couple convicted of years of anti-Muslim harassment of neighbor
https://www.nj.com/hudson/2022/04/jersey-city-couple-convicted-of-years-of-anti-muslim-harassment-of-neighbor.html

“We welcome guilty verdicts for the perpetrators of this disturbing, hateful crime, and we’re thankful that they were convicted before they could carry out their threats,” said CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut. “Communities in New Jersey and nationwide must come together and reject anti-Muslim bigotry and other forms of hate.”

He said CAIR and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging antisemitism, anti-Black racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, and white supremacy.

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

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CAIR-NJ Condemns Racist Calls Harassing Palestinian Business in Paterson   

(South Plainfield, NJ, 4/15/22) – The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned a series of racist anonymous calls targeting a Palestinian-owned small business in Paterson, N.J.

Harassing phone calls to Palestine Hair Salon in Paterson were placed earlier this month. The anonymous caller repeatedly insulted Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, Islam, and Muslims. The caller also called Palestinians terrorists and thieves.

LISTEN: SEE VIDEO

In a statement, CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said:

“This harassment is a reminder of the deep-seated animus against Arabs and Muslims. Such a display of unabashed Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian hate must be firmly condemned by everyone who values humanity and its diversity.”   

In a statement, PACC (Palestinian American Community Center) Executive Director Rania Mustafa said:

“These calls started shortly after the City Council voted on re-naming Main Street between Buffalo and Gould Ave ‘Palestine Way’ in recognition of the contributions that the Palestinian American community has given to Paterson. We do think the timing is not a coincidence, but a direct response. We must condemn and firmly stand against the erasure of any recognition of Palestine and the contributions of Palestinians.”

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

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