(SACRAMENTO, CA, 05/09/17) The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today released a report showing a 57 percent increase in anti-Muslim incidents in 2016 over the previous year. This spike in anti-Muslim incidents was accompanied by a 44 percent increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes during the same period.
Video: CAIR News Conference in Washington, D.C., Announcing Release of 'The Empowerment of Hate' Video: CAIR Releases New Report – 'The Empowerment of Hate' – on Spike in Anti-Muslim Incidents CAIR's new report, titled "The Empowerment of Hate," also notes that from 2014 to 2016, anti-Muslim bias incidents jumped 65 percent. [NOTE: The report focuses primarily on 2016, but also contains data on cases documented by CAIR during the 2014-2016 period.] SEE: U.S. Muslim Group Reports Sharp Rise in Anti-Muslim Incidents Across U.S. in 2016 (Reuters) SEE: The Empowerment of Hate "It is time for the Trump administration to seriously address the growing anti-minority sentiment in our nation, prompted at least in part by his toxic campaign rhetoric, the appointment of Islamophobes to policy-making posts and the introduction of Islamophobic policies such as the 'Muslim ban,'" said Corey Saylor, director of CAIR's Department to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia, co-author of the report. The most frequent types of incidents documented by CAIR in 2016 involved harassment, the FBI, employment issues, hate crimes, and denials of religious accommodations: - Harassment, a non-violent or non-threatening bias incident accounted for 18 percent of the total number of incidents.
- Incidents during which the complainant was questioned by FBI employees or otherwise appeared to be inappropriately targeted by that agency comprised 15 percent of cases, making this the second largest category.
- Employment issues – including denial of work, being passed over for promotion, or harassment by a supervisor or other senior staff – was the third largest category, accounting for 13 percent of the total.
- Hate crimes placed fourth, accounting for 12 percent of the cases CAIR documented.
The most prevalent trigger of an anti-Muslim bias incidents in 2016 was the victim's ethnicity or national origin, accounting for 35 percent of the total. Sixteen percent of incidents occurred as a result of women wearing a headscarf. Other Muslim-related activities – events such as rallies, community picnics, or a day at the state capitol visiting legislators organized primarily for Muslims – constituted an additional 11 percent. The report dataset is drawn primarily from the intakes CAIR conducts each year. With each case, civil rights and legal staff seek to ensure the highest possible level of accuracy. CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding. – END – CONTACT: CAIR-SV Communications & Outreach Coordinator, Muhammad Saifullah, 916.678.0752, msaifullah@cair.com |
