Murder of Palestinian-American Boy Amid Global Hate Crimes

A six-year-old boy murdered 

• Wadea Al-Fayoume, a six-year-old Palestinian-American boy, was fatally stabbed by his landlord in Plainfield, Illinois, in a racially motivated hate crime. 
• Wadea was stabbed over two dozen times in the attack and died in the hospital. A funeral service and burial will be held today in the town of Bridgeview, which is sometimes referred to as "Little Palestine."
• Wadea's mother, Hanaan Shahin, 32, was also attacked and suffered over 12 stab wounds but survived. She was attacked with a military-style knife before running to the bathroom to call the police.
• The landlord, Joseph Czuba, 71, was charged with hate crimes. The Will County Sheriff's office said:

"Both victims in this brutal attack were targeted by the suspect due to them being Muslim and the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict involving Hamas and the Israelis."

• Biden said he was "sickened" by the crime:

"This horrific act of hate has no place in America, and stands against our fundamental values: freedom from fear for how we pray, what we believe, and who we are."

Concern about growing of hate crimes

• The war between Israel and Hamas has raised security concerns worldwide, with the FBI tracking increased threats to both Muslims and Jews following the Hamas attack. Jewish and Muslim rights groups have reported a marked increase in hateful rhetoric on social media. Police forces are expanding their presence in Jewish and Muslim neighborhoods around the U.S.
• Pro-Palestinian rallies and protests around the world have also been the sites of discord. Inna Vernikov, a New York City council member, was arrested for bringing a handgun to a student demonstration supporting Palestinians. 
• A man holding a Palestinian flag was attacked in Williamsburg, New York City. 
• The BBC's headquarters in London were vandalized by Palestine Action, with red paint splashed at the building's entrance to condemn the news outlet's "biased reporting." Jewish schools were closed on Friday in the Netherlands and London for safety concerns. 
• Rania Mustafa from the Palestinian American Community Center in Clifton, New Jersey, noted an increase in harassing phone calls and emails:

"It's been a very stressful week in all regards, from one end trying to convince the world that we're human and that our lives are as sacred as anyone else's lives and on the other end, trying to protect our own from being targeted. And protecting freedom of speech, of expressing opinions and solidarity with the Palestinian people."

Are you worried about the growth in hate crimes?

-Emma Kansiz