US Sees 70% Rise in Anti-Muslim Incidents in First Half of 2024 Amid Gaza Onslaught
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) reported on Tuesday that it has documented 4,951 complaints of anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian incidents in the first six months of 2024, marking a nearly 70% increase compared to the same period in 2023.
The majority of these complaints involved issues related to immigration and asylum, employment discrimination, education discrimination, and hate crimes.
Human rights advocates have noted a global surge in Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian bias, and antisemitism since the outbreak of the war between the Israeli regime and resistance forces in Gaza in October.
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In 2023, CAIR recorded a total of 8,061 such complaints, with around 3,600 occurring in the last three months of the year following the onset of the conflict.
Notable incidents in the past nine months include the fatal stabbing of a 6-year-old Palestinian-American child in Illinois in October, the stabbing of a Palestinian-American man in Texas in February, the shooting of three students of Palestinian descent in Vermont in November, and the attempted drowning of a 3-year-old Palestinian-American girl in May.
The United States has witnessed numerous protests against the Gaza war since October. The CAIR report highlighted the police and university authorities’ crackdown on pro-Palestinian protests and encampments on campuses.
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The Israeli aggression on the besieged Gaza Strip since October 7 has killed nearly 40,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children. The attacks have ruined large swaths of Gaza, resulting in displacement of nearly the entire population of 2.3 million and a hunger crisis.
CAIR compiles its data by reviewing public statements, videos, and reports from public calls, emails, and an online complaint system, as well as contacting individuals whose incidents are reported by the media.
Source: Agencies
