Hate Crime Charges for Anti-Palestinian Harassment, Alleged Assault of Guests at Md. Muslim’s Wedding in D.C.

By Al Enteshar Newspaper
On June 22, a Maryland Muslim family held the wedding of their daughter at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. around 11:30 p.m., as two guests wearing keffiyehs left the wedding and exited the hotel, two white male individuals walked past them toward the hotel entrance. One of the males reportedly brushed against the shoulder of one of the guests and yelled “F*** Palestine.” One of the two guests reportedly responded verbally: “I don’t think my cousins in Gaza would be happy to hear that.” the two suspects allegedly responded with more vulgar, anti-Palestinian comments including “wishing death upon Gazans.”

t four African-American women then intervened to help de-escalate the situation. Despite their efforts, the two males reportedly started walking towards the guests. One of the guests, he was concerned for the women’s safety, offered: “If you want to talk, let’s talk about it.”

At that point, one of the males allegedly wrapped his hands around one of the guests’ neck and began choking him. The guest reportedly dislocated his thumb trying to extricate himself from the alleged attacker’s choking maneuver, who proceeded to reportedly punch the guest in the face resulting in a black eye.

As the guests tried to get to safety, one of the alleged attackers reportedly shouted, “NYPD motherf.” The guest was reportedly punched a second time as one of the male suspects reportedly demanded, “Give me that f keffiyeh.” As the two guests tried to get to safety, a passerby driving past them reportedly screamed, “Leave them alone!” to which one of the male suspects reportedly replied, “I’m going to f*** bash your window.”
“Every parent dreams and prepares for their child to get married one day and start their new life,” “Our family is devastated and deeply disheartened that our daughter’s wedding, an occasion filled with joy and celebration, was marred by this kind of racist violence and bigotry against some of our guests. This is unacceptable, we want to see justice.”

“I was attacked in public for wearing the keffiyeh in solidarity with my brothers and sisters being massacred in Palestine, this was a hate crime and should be treated as such,” said the victim who was reportedly choked, i“My speaking up to demand justice isn’t just for myself but also for anyone who stands for freedom and liberation for the oppressed.”
“We unequivocally condemn this alleged attack and call on law enforcement authorities to prosecute the suspects to the full extent of the law,” “While displaced Palestinians overseas are enduring the trauma of relentless bombings, forced starvation and settler colonial violence, those who stand for their rights and freedom here are facing rampant racism and bigotry. The injustices and dehumanization deserve to be addressed with serious consequences.”
Both male suspects were taken into police custody at the hotel.
The Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on state and federal law enforcement authorities to investigate as a hate crime the reported harassment and alleged assault of wedding guests by two anti-Palestinian suspects arrested at a Maryland Muslim woman’s wedding in late June

This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.

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Al Enteshar Newspaper

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