CAIR-NY Echoes Demands of Groups Protesting for Gaza Ceasefire at Rockland County State of County Address
(NEW YORK, NY, 3/25/2024) - The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today echoed the demands of local community organizers that protested Rockland County Executive Ed Day’s 2024 State of the County Address in Pomona.
Organizers from Rockland for Palestine and Rockland for Ceasefire came together to protest the address denouncing Day’s complicity in the ongoing ethnic cleansing and genocide in Gaza.
In a statement, CAIR-NY Communication Coordinator Rabea Ali said,
“Ed Day’s continued solidarity with Israel in the wake of its ethnic cleansing, starvation, and genocide of the Palestinian people rocks the conscious of our collective humanity. Such complicity from our elected officials when 32,000+ Palestinians are dead, puts Muslim New Yorkers at a continued risk of a documented increase in hate crimes and law enforcement abuse at protests.”
In a statement, representatives from Rockland for Palestine and Rockland for Ceasefire said,
“Rockland for Palestine and Rockland for Ceasefire refuse to allow business as usual while genocide unfolds in real-time. Our action at the State of the County Address serves as a reminder that those in positions of power cannot turn away from human rights abuses and must be held accountable for their actions. It is unacceptable for County Executive Ed Day to prioritize political interests over the lives of Palestinians. We demand that Ed Day stands on the right side of history against the atrocities being committed in Gaza.”
In 2023, CAIR-NY recorded 555 requests for legal assistance, of which 239 were directly related to Palestinian solidarity representing 43% of its requests. These numbers continue to rise with CAIR-NY receiving 122+ requests for assistance thus far in 2024, reflecting a continued surge in anti-Muslim incidents in New York.
CAIR-NY's mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR-NY es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Rockland for Palestine is a grassroots organization dedicated to advocating for the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people. Through activism, education, and community engagement, we work to raise awareness about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Palestine and to promote justice and equality for all Palestinians.
Rockland for Ceasefire is a group pushing for an end to the siege and immediate humanitarian aid to Gaza, permanent cessation of the genocide and occupation of Palestine, and the dismantling of the apartheid system under which Palestinians live. We are working for the self-determination of Palestinians, accountability for Israel's war crimes, freedom of all prisoners and hostages, and the right of return for refugees.
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CONTACT:
Afaf Nasher, Esq., CAIR-NY Executive Director, 917-669-4006, anasher@cair.com;
Rabea Ali, CAIR-NY Communications Coordinator, 347-651-0954, rali@cair.com;