(LOS ANGELES, CA – 1/19/2024) – The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA), along with the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) and the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California, today addressed social media posts from Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers that reportedly express support for Israel’s current violence and indiscriminate bombing of Gaza.
Recent photos posted by an account allegedly belonging to a member of the LAPD show the individual at an Israeli military facility posing next to military equipment and a bomb with the words “Happy Minyan, enjoy the fireworks” written on it alongside a heart. This photo is the latest in a series of concerning social media posts from members of the LAPD command staff that align themselves with and express support for Israel.
Reports also suggest that LAPD officers may have participated in training programs in Israel with the Israeli military, which raises questions on the nature of the training and tactics LAPD officers may incorporate, given current and past documented human rights violations by Israel.
In a statement, CAIR-LA Legal and Policy Director Amr Shabaik said:
“It is deeply disturbing that while the state of Israel is engaging in an indiscriminate bombing campaign against innocent Palestinian civilians, which has resulted in the deaths of approximately 25,000 people, most of them women and children, that members of the LAPD would make social media posts in support of Israel’s documented war crimes.
“These irresponsible social media posts send the message that the law enforcement body responsible for protecting all Angelenos, including Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim Americans, does not value the lives and safety of these community members. This is particularly troubling given the recent rise in hate against these marginalized communities.”
Earlier this week, MPAC sent a joint letter, signed by CAIR-LA and Shura Council, to the LAPD Board of Police Commissioners outlining the concerns about LAPD training in Israel and the potential implications such training may have for the human rights of the civilian population in Palestine and the impact on policing practices in Los Angeles. The LAPD Board of Commissioners provided a response, stating it will initiate an investigation into the issues outlined in the letter.
Since Oct. 7, Israeli government officials and leaders have openly called for the flattening of Gaza and the mass murder of its residents, described as “human animals” or “not civilians” by various Israeli government officials and leaders.
Respected international human rights organizations like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Doctors Without Borders, and other advocates have documented that Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has spent three months brazenly committing war crimes against Palestinian civilians in Gaza in what President Biden has called “indiscriminate” bombing, including the cutting off of food, water, and healthcare. Refugee camps, mosques, churches, hospitals, ambulances, schools, and U.N. facilities have been bombed, and the World Health Organization has documented the destruction of hospitals, the killing of healthcare workers, and the devastation of healthcare infrastructure by Israeli armed forces.
CAIR-LA is Southern California’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-LA Digital Communications Manager Enjy El-Kadi, (714) 851-4851 or eelkadi@cair.com