Surge in Anti-Arab and Islamophobic Bias Sparks Concern Among Advocacy Groups
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has reported an alarming increase in anti-Arab and Islamophobic bias incidents, with 1,283 requests for help and reports of bias in the month following the Hamas attack on Israel. This represents a 216% surge compared to the previous year. CAIR attributes this rise to the Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian rhetoric used to justify violence against Palestinians in Gaza and silence supporters of Palestinian human rights in the US. CAIR calls on President Joe Biden to negotiate a ceasefire and address anti-Muslim hate, emphasizing the role of political leaders, corporations, media outlets, and civic organizations in combating the increase in anti-Muslim rhetoric.