(WASHINGTON DC - March 8, 2024) - Today the US Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation held a session to provide critical updates on issues related to issues of physical safety and civil rights violations impacting the Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian communities in the US. The meeting was part of the United Against Hate Program, a nationwide initiative to increase awareness and prevention of hate crimes and incidents, and to foster collaboration among faith leaders, community groups, and law enforcement. The Shia Muslim Foundation attended this event.
The meeting featured three speakers: Mr. Jonathan Smith, the Deputy Assistant Attorney General at the Civil Rights Division of hte DOJ, Mr. Clark, the Assistant Attorney General at the same division, and the Deputy Director of the FBI, Paul Abbate. The speakers addressed the challenges and fears faced by the affected communities in the wake of the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, which sparked a surge of hate crimes and discrimination against them. The speakers also outlined the actions taken by the Justice Department and the FBI to combat hate crimes and incidents, and to prevent domestic terrorism. The speakers encouraged the participants to report any incidents of hate or bias to the authorities and to seek help from the available resources. The speakers expressed their gratitude and solidarity with the Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian communities, and assured them of their commitment to ensuring their safety and civil rights.
The meeting was moderated by Smith, who welcomed the participants and introduced the agenda and the speakers. He acknowledged the challenges and fears faced by the affected communities and assured them of the federal government’s support and resources. He also mentioned that the meeting was a follow-up to the previous meetings that the Justice Department leaders had with law enforcement and community leaders in November 2023.
The first speaker was Clark, who expressed his gratitude and solidarity with the communities and condemned the hate-fueled violence and discrimination. He outlined the actions taken by the Justice Department to protect the civil rights and safety of the communities, such as directing the US Attorney offices and the FBI to work with local partners and meet with community leaders, and launching investigations and prosecutions of hate crimes. He also encouraged the participants to report any incidents of hate or bias to the authorities and to seek help from the available resources, such as the Civil Rights Division’s website, the Civil Rights Reporting Portal, and the Victim Connect Resource Center.
Clark continued to describe the actions taken by the Justice Department to address the hate crimes and incidents against the Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian communities. He mentioned some examples of the cases that the department had charged or investigated, such as:
A Florida man who threatened the Council on American-Islamic Relations Michigan chapter
A fatal shooting of a six-year-old and his mother in Illinois
A shooting of three Palestinian men in Vermont
A Utah defendant who threatened a Palestinian rights organization
He emphasized that the department was committed to holding the perpetrators accountable and sending a clear message of zero tolerance for hate crimes. He also explained that the department was focused on hate incidents that may not rise to the level of criminal violations, but still harm the communities and violate the civil rights laws. He gave some examples of the cases that the department had intervened or filed, such as:
A Washington State School District that failed to protect Muslim students from harassment and assault
A Maryland employer that discriminated against a Muslim employee who wore a hijab
Clark concluded his remarks by highlighting the United Against Hate Program, a nationwide initiative to increase awareness and prevention of hate crimes and incidents, and to foster collaboration among faith leaders, community groups, and law enforcement. He reiterated his empathy and solidarity with the Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian communities, and his commitment to ensuring their safety and civil rights.
The next speaker was the FBI Deputy Director Abbate, who thanked the previous speakers and the participants, and stated that the FBI had been working closely with the Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian communities to counter the threat of domestic terrorism and to prevent violence and harm. He acknowledged the real and persistent threats that the communities faced because of their identity.
The Deputy Director of the FBI shared the data on the increase in hate crime incidents from 2021 to 2022, and the concern about violent extremists who may target the Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian communities in the US. He explained the measures that the FBI was taking to address these threats, such as:
Working with federal, state, and local partners through the Joint Terrorism Task Forces and the civil rights coordinators
Taking a closer look at existing cases and intelligence to identify potential threats and gaps
Enhancing outreach and engagement with the communities to build trust and cooperation
Providing training and guidance to law enforcement and prosecutors on hate crime identification, investigation, and prosecution
Developing and disseminating public awareness materials and resources on hate crimes and how to report them
Deputy Director Abbate also mentioned some examples of the cases that the FBI had investigated or assisted, such as:
A New York man who plotted to bomb a synagogue
A Texas man who stabbed an Asian American family at a grocery store
A California man who set fire to a mosque
A Pennsylvania man who vandalized a Jewish cemetery
He stressed that the FBI was determined to protect the communities from hate and violence, and to uphold the rule of law and the Constitution. He also urged the participants to report any suspicious activity or behavior to the FBI or local law enforcement, and to visit the FBI’s website for more information and resources on hate crimes.
