Shortly after October 7th, our client was targeted in a hate crime. While wearing a “yalla habibi” shirt and a “Palestine” hat in his apartment building’s elevator, he was confronted by another resident who called him a terrorist, yelled at him, and spat on him. When our client tried to record the incident, the man grabbed him, threatened to kill him, and brandished a gun. Despite this, the District Attorney (DA) initially declined to press charges, even minimizing the incident and expressing sympathy for the offender. After our intervention and escalation to the DA’s office, the City Attorney filed six counts against the offender, including terrorist threats, battery, improper storage of a weapon, and drawing a firearm. While the case ultimately resulted in judicial diversion due to the offender’s lack of prior criminal record, our advocacy ensured he faced some accountability. Without our involvement, it’s unlikely any charges would have been filed. We also provided our client with a platform to share his experience at a press conference addressing the rise of hate crimes against Muslims, Arabs, and Palestinians following October 7th, an opportunity he greatly appreciated.