CAIR-Philadelphia Stands In Solidarity With Our African-American Brothers and Sisters
Dear Community Members and Friends,
Assalaamu alaykum,
(PHILADELPHIA, 5/31/2020) – The Philadelphia Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned numerous incidents of police brutality that have occurred during nationwide protests against George Floyd’s murder.
SEE: Police Erupt in Violence Nationwide
SEE: Journalists Detail Being Hit By Rubber Bullets, Attacked While Covering Nationwide Protests
SEE: NYPD Officer Rams into Crowd of George Floyd Protesters in Brooklyn
SEE: Atlanta Police Tase Local College Students Driving After Curfew
In a statement, CAIR-Philadelphia Executive Director Jacob Bender and CAIR-Philadelphia Civil Rights Attorney Timothy Welbeck said:
“Engaging in police brutality at a protest against police brutality is a surefire way to escalate the unrest occurring on streets across our nation. The imposition of a curfew does not give any police officer free rein to gas, beat, shoot rubber bullets at, or otherwise attack protesters and journalists.
“Although we are not surprised to see that extremists and infiltrators continue to use peaceful protests as an opportunity to engage in violence, we expect and demand better from the law enforcement officers sworn to serve and protect their communities.”
CAIR chapters around the country have called on prosecutors in Minnesota to end the nationwide unrest by immediately arresting and charging the three other police officers involved in the death of George Floyd.
Finally, on behalf of the Staff, Executive Committee, Advisor Board and Officers of CAIR-Philadelphia, we write to express love for, solidarity with, and commitment to our African-American brothers and sisters, especially Black families who have lost loved ones to state-sanctioned violence.
As a Muslim civil rights organization dedicated to harnessing our values in service to our society, CAIR recognizes that justice for all people in America cannot come to fruition without an unwavering and unapologetic commitment to achieving justice for Black Americans. That includes an honest acknowledgment of entrenched anti-Blackness within our society.
Read and encourage your mosque/organization to sign a public Interfaith Response to the Murder of George Floyd and Letter of Solidarity and Commitment to Action.
