- Anti-Muslim hate crimes in New York have increased following the escalation of events in Palestine, with seven serious assaults reported in the past three weeks, including an attack on a teenage Muslim girl on the subway.
- Detective Amen stressed the importance of reporting hate crimes and mentioned the availability of officers from diverse backgrounds who can assist individuals with their concerns.
Anti-Muslim hate crime has been on the rise since the escalation of events in Palestine, an according to the NYPD. Within the past 3 weeks, there have been seven serious assaults on Muslims.
A teenage Muslim girl was attacked whilst commuting on the New York City subway to school, in what police have said to be another ‘likely hate crime attack based on the girl’s faith.’
On Wednesday, 16-year-old was aboard a southbound 5 train approaching Union Square around 9 a.m. when a man sat down next to her, according to police. He told her, “you’re a terrorist, you don’t belong here,” before wrenching on the hijab she was wearing.
Image used for representational purposes
A female passenger intervened to assist the girl, police confirmed. The man dispersed from the scene and police are still on the hunt for him. No arrests have yet been made as of yet.
“I’m very sorry for her and her family and everyone in the city. We are going through a challenging time right now,” said Detective Mohamed Amen. “But I want to assure her and everyone that the police department is really looking after everyone in the city.”
Anti-Muslim hate crime has surged in New York since October 8th.
Burhan Carroll, a representative from the Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR) in New York, mentioned that they have recently received a surge in calls and requests for assistance. The organization also reported having numerous firsthand accounts of the increasing instances of Islamophobia.
“People are scared. They’re very frightened just to go about their daily business,” said Carroll.
While the NYPD acknowledges that many hate crimes remain unreported, Detective Amen emphasized the importance of community members coming forward and reporting such incidents.
“Reporting your crime it’s very important so that we stop these bad people from doing this to someone else,” said Amen. “You cross the line, you break the law, it’s on you. Regardless who you are. We will not tolerate that.”
The NYPD mentioned that their force includes officers who are proficient in multiple languages and come from diverse backgrounds. They further noted that individuals with concerns to report can ask to speak with someone they feel a connection to.
