CAIR Reports 2 Hate Crimes Against Muslims in Tampa

TAMPA, FL – The Council on American-Islamic Relations Florida has announced it is representing two Muslim women following two recent incidents in Hillsborough County.

According to CAIR Florida, the first attack involved a hijab-wearing woman who was allegedly chased and cut off by a man while she was driving. The man reportedly threw rocks and other objects at her vehicle.

The man, CAIR reported in a media release, got out of his car and began cursing at the woman. “The victim felt even more threatened when the individual started yelling, ‘I’m gonna cut her,’” the media release stated.

The victim in the second attack was also wearing a hijab at the time of the incident. In that case, CAIR alleges the woman was leaving a local Islamic Center when someone shot at her car.

Further details in both incidents, including the victims’ names, are not being released at this time. Patch reached out to CAIR Florida and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, but has not received responses as of yet.

Thania Diaz-Clevenger, CAIR Florida’s legal department director, said both cases, which CAIR asserts are hate crimes, are under investigation by local authorities.

“Our main concern right now is the safety and well-being of these victims,” Diaz-Clevenger said. “We urge our community to stand vigilant and report any type of safety and security incidents to the authorities immediately.”

CAIR Florida’s chief executive director Hissan Shibly points to “inflammatory Islamophobic rhetoric” for creating an unsafe environment, the media release said.

“Our society expects more from our political leadership, not the provocative and incendiary discourse bashing Muslims and everyone else who stands for our cherished values of freedom and justice consecrated in our Constitution,” Shibly was quoted as saying. “Let it be known that bigotry and hate speech are very dangerous and often result in hate crimes against our women and children.”

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