CAIR-NY Welcomes Arrest, Hate Crime Charges for Alleged Perpetrator of Assault Targeting White Woman

Photos by Emmanuel Ikwuegbu on Unsplash and Tdorante10 on WikiMedia Commons

(NEW YORK, NY, 8/16/2022)—The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) today welcomed the indictment on hate crime charges for a woman who allegedly beat an elderly White woman and threatened to kill and bury her in a Queens cemetery.

According to the district attorney, the alleged assailant, Jahnaiya Williams, 19, and her two companions approached the 57-year-old victim as she sat on a Queens southbound bus on July 9. Williams allegedly looked at the victim and muttered, “I hate White people.” When the bus approached St. John’s Cemetery, Williams allegedly told the victim, “I am going to kill you, this is where I’m going to bury you.” Then the assailant produced a jar from her bag and allegedly told the victim that she would beat her with it. When the bus stopped, Williams allegedly spat on the victim and proceeded to beat her with the bag containing the jar. She and one of her companions reportedly then punched the victim several times before fleeing, leaving the victim with a deep cut that required medical attention. 

Williams is being charged with assault as a hate crime, menacing as a hate crime, aggravated harassment, and other crimes. She is the third person to be arrested in this alleged bias attack.  

SEE:  

• Third teen who bashed white woman in head on NYC bus, telling her ‘I am going to kill you,’ charged with hate crimes 

• South Jamaica teen arraigned on hate crime charges in Woodhaven bias attack: DA 

Afaf Nasher, Executive Director of CAIR-NY, said in a statement:   

“We are relieved that the alleged perpetrator of this horrifying, alleged racist attack has been arrested and charged accordingly, and we applaud the Hate Crimes Task Force for their responsiveness in this case. The blind hatred and brutality that was directed against this innocent grandmother allegedly because she is White is absolutely despicable. We cannot allow racists to turn us against one another, for we are all brothers and sisters from the same family, regardless of our race, ethnicity, religion, or gender.” 

She added that CAIR-NY and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging racial supremacy, religious bigotry, xenophobia, and all other forms of hatred. 

CAIR-NY has condemned several other disturbing hate incidents in recent weeks:     

SEE:        

• CAIR-NY Condemns Anti-Jewish Flyers Found Outside Nassau County Homes 

• CAIR-NY Condemns Alleged Racist Knifepoint Menacing of Black Marine and Companions in Staten Island, Welcomes Hate Crime Charges 

• CAIR-NY Denounces Destruction of Gandhi Statue Outside Hindu Temple in Queens, Welcomes Hate Crime Investigation 

• CAIR-NY Denounces Racist Party Mocking Juneteenth Sanctioned by Rochester Fire Department Captain, Calls for Transparent Investigation and Accountability 

• CAIR-NY Denounces Racist Subway Attack on Woman in Brooklyn 

• CAIR-NY Denounces Hateful, Anti-Asian Voice Message Targeting New York Senator John Liu 

• CAIR-NY Condemns Vandalism of Brooklyn Synagogue, Welcomes Arrest, Hate Crime Charges for Man Who Allegedly Painted Nazi Swastikas on Tombstones in Ellenville Cemetery 

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: Afaf Nasher, Esq., CAIR-NY Executive Director, 917-669-4006, anasher@cair.com; Ahmed Mohamed, CAIR-NY Legal Director, 646-481-2103, ahmedmohamed@cair.com.