(FRESNO, CA, 03/10/2020) – The Central California office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CC) today condemned racist coronavirus-related graffiti found on an Asian-American family’s car in Fresno.
READ: Vandal tags Fresno Asian-American family car with racist coronavirus related graffiti (Fox 26)
In a Facebook post Monday, Anna Chandy shared photos of her family’s car tagged with racist graffiti that said, “F*** asions … and coronavirus!”
Chandy wrote in the post: “Hate crime and racism towards Asians due to the coronavirus is not okay! I mean any kind of hate crime and racism is not okay! My dad and my family don’t deserve this. No one deserves this!”
In a statement, CAIR-Sacramento Valley/Central California (CAIR-SV/CC) Executive Director Basim Elkarra said:
“We condemn this racist graffiti and urge law enforcement to investigate the incident as a hate crime. We commend Anna for standing up to and speaking out against the racism that has become rampant amid the spread of coronavirus. We must call out and put a stop to bigotry, scapegoating and stigmatization as we confront this epidemic together.”
He added that CAIR’s New York office recently condemned an anti-Asian hate incident perpetrated by a commuter on an N train traveling through Brooklyn.
Elkarra urged community members to report any bias incidents to law enforcement and to CAIR-SV/CC’s Civil Rights Department at 916-441-6269 or by filing a report online.
CAIR-SV/CC is an office of CAIR, America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-SV/CC Communications Manager Kalin Kipling-Mojaddedi, 916-441-6269 or kkipling@cair.com
