Harassment of Jewish and Muslim Americans Continues After Hamas Attacks

Muslim and Jewish advocacy organizations report a significant surge in incidents of harassment, discrimination and physical assaults targeting their respective communities since the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.  

The Anti-Defamation League and the Council on American-Islamic Relations have reported an increase in documented incidents, many of which involve acts of violence or threats directed at demonstrators attending rallies in support of either Israel or the Palestinian cause during the past two weeks, coinciding with the outbreak of conflict between Israel and Hamas.

A representative from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said on October 25 that the organization, which includes its local chapters and national headquarters, had received 774 reports of bias-related incidents between October 7 and 24.  

Particularly noteworthy is CAIR’s national headquarters received 110 direct reports during that timeframe, marking a significant increase compared to the 63 reports received in the entire month of August.

The surge in complaints is believed to be the most substantial since December 2015, a period coinciding with then-presidential candidate Donald Trump’s announcement of his intention to ban Muslim immigration to the United States.  

Among the incidents reported since October is a case in which an Illinois landlord is alleged to have fatally stabbed a six-year-old Muslim boy and injured the boy’s mother, according to the police. Additionally, a Michigan man was charged for allegedly using a social media post to encourage people to join him in hunting Palestinians.   

Corey Saylor, CAIR’s Research and Advocacy Director, emphasized that public officials must exert every effort within their authority to prevent the current surge of hatred sweeping the nation from escalating further.  

The Associated Press reports that Jewish civil rights groups in the United Kingdom, France and other regions across Europe, Latin America, North Africa and beyond have likewise observed a rise in antisemitic incidents in recent weeks compared with figures from 2022.