CAIR-NY Calls for NYPD Hate Crime Probe After Muslim Father Hospitalized in a “F***ing Muslim” Violent Assault by Queens Couple
Muslim Advocacy Group Expresses Outrage Over NYPD’s Failure to Make Arrests
(NEW YORK, NY, 11/10/2020) – The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on the NYPD to initiate a hate crime probe after a Muslim father was allegedly assaulted by a Hispanic man and woman in an anti-Muslim attack. The incident reportedly occurred on November 6 in Rego Park, Queens. The victim of the alleged hate crime is 38-year-old Egyptian-American Khaled Aly. Aly and his wife, Neamat Taha, and their two kids, a 6 and 8-year-old, were returning home on Friday night at approximately 11 p.m.
As the family parked their car in their parking spot and went to walk into the apartment complex, the assailants confronted them and began to harass Taha. Taha wears a hijab, a Muslim headscarf. The female assailant grabbed Taha while the male assailant began to aggressively approach Taha. Prior to grabbing Taha, the assailants told the family that “we are in America.” Aly asked the assailants to leave them alone and to not touch his wife. Without warning, the assailants then attacked Aly and viciously beat him while his kids watched in horror.
During the assault, the assailants repeatedly cursed at Aly and called him a “f***ing Muslim” and threatened to “kill your f***ing family.” Taha called 911 during the assault. As the NYPD arrived on the scene, the assailants fled.
Aly was immediately rushed to the hospital where he was hospitalized and underwent surgery for his injuries. Aly was released from the hospital Monday evening.
Note: CAIR-NY represents Aly and his family.
Photos of Aly After the Assault:
https://www.cair-ny.org/photos-of-aly-after-assault
The assailants have been identified as neighbors who live in the apartment complex. Despite having the identities of the assailants and witnesses to the violent assault, the NYPD has failed to make an arrests.
On Saturday at approximately 4:30 a.m. as Taha returned to the apartment complex, she was confronted by the male assailant who bragged about assaulting Aly and threatened Taha and her family stating “I’m going to burn you and burn your family.” Taha was accompanied by male friends. Taha and her family have not returned to their apartment out of fear for their safety.
The family reports that the assailants have been harassing them over an extended period of time. The family previously filed a police report over the harassment. The family also reported the harassment and threats to the apartment complex’s management.
CAIR-NY Legal Director Ahmed Mohamed stated:
“Hate crimes targeting the Muslim community need to be taken seriously. Again and again we are seeing that bias motivated crimes targeting Muslims are being minimized and not properly investigated. Mr. Aly was beaten mercilessly in front of his young children, who are now traumatized, and the NYPD knows the identities of the assailants and where they reside. Yet, the NYPD has failed to make any arrests. It is outrageous and speaks to the lack of urgency to investigating crimes targeting the Muslim community.”
Mohamed recalled the NYPD’s failure to properly investigate Fatoumata Camara’s hate crime case and Abrar Chowdhury’s vicious assault.
In August, CAIR-NY Called for NYPD Hate Crime Probe After Muslim Teen Assaulted with Baseball Bat in Staten Island.
SEE: https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/20/us/arab-teen-assaulted-trnd/index.html
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.
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CONTACT: CAIR-NY Legal Director Ahmed Mohamed, ahmedmohamed@cair.com, 646-481-2103; CAIR-NY Executive Director Afaf Nasher, anasher@cair.com, 917-669-4006