MEDIA ADVISORY: Punish A Muslim Day Press Conference
CAIR-Chicago, Public Officials to Respond to ‘Punish a Muslim Day’
(CHICAGO, IL, 4/2/18) – LATER TODAY, the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) will hold a press conference in response to “Punish a Muslim Day” fliers circulating on social media. Those fliers, which were originally distributed in Britain, have gained notoriety in the last few weeks on Facebook and Twitter, causing distress in American Muslim communities.
WHAT: Press Conference on Punish a Muslim Day
WHEN: TODAY, April 2, 4 p.m.
WHERE: CAIR-Chicago Office 17 N. State St, Suite 1500, Chicago, IL
WHO: Members of the Muslim community, City of Chicago Human Relations Committee
CONTACT: CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab, 312-212-1520, 202-870-0166, arehab@cair.com; CAIR-Chicago Communications Coordinator Saadia Pervaiz, 312-212-1520,spervaiz@cair.com; CAIR-Chicago Communications Coordinator Asha Binbek, 312-212-1520, abinbek@cair.com
Last week, CAIR’s Washington, D.C., office urged the nation’s Muslim community to increase security measures after the anonymous letter was delivered to several mosques in London declaring April 3 as "Punish a Muslim Day.”
SEE: CAIR-National Advisory on ‘Punish a Muslim Day’
The Punish a Muslim Day campaign has caused concern within the Muslim community, with some parents wondering whether to keep their children home from school that day.
A counter-campaign to promote solidarity with the Muslim community on April 3 is also in circulation on social media.
SEE: ‘Love a Muslim Day Campaign’
In a statement, CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab said:
“While this hate campaign originated in print in the UK, it has been picked up and circulated on the Internet in the United States. Any level of support for such unabashed and violent hate is highly disturbing and requires a united response of condemnation. Though we advise our constituents to practice reasonable precautions and safety in their everyday lives, we also ask them to not let such bully tactics cause them to tone down their free expressions of Muslim identity or hide in fear or shame. These cowardly campaigns are designed to stoke not just hate but fear. And we fight them by not giving in to either destructive force, but by reinforcing our freedoms and values."
CAIR launched an app to share critical “Know Your Rights” information and to simplify the process to report hate crimes and bias incidents. CAIR is urging American Muslims and members of other minority groups to download the app and utilize this resource to stay informed and empowered.
For a quick download of CAIR’s civil rights app, click here: http://www.cair.com/app
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.
END
Full Conference Here >>