Causes.com
| 11.27.23
Three U.S.-Palestinians Shot in Possible Hate Crimes
How do you feel about the global response?
Updated Nov. 27, 2023, 11:30 a.m. EST
- Three U.S. students of Palestinian descent were shot near the University of Vermont on Saturday.
- An investigation was opened to determine whether the shooting was a hate crime.
- The suspect, Jason J. Eaton, was taken into custody and is expected to appear in court on Monday.
- All three 20-year-old men — Hisham Awartani, Tahseen Ahmed, and Kinnan Abdalhamid — survived the shooting and are receiving medical care. According to the Burlington Police Department, one "sustained much more serious injuries" than the others.
- The trio attended Ramallah Friends School together, a non-profit Quaker school. Awartani is a current student at Brown University in Rhode Island, Ahmed attends Trinity College in Connecticut, and Abdalhamid attends Haverford College in Pennsylvania. They had just left one of their family's homes when they were shot. A family member said they had attended an 8-year-old's birthday party.
- Officers investigating the shooting said the victims were wearing keffiyeh, a traditional scarf, and speaking Arabic when attacked, highlighting this as a possible motive.
- Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) wrote on X:
"It is shocking and deeply upsetting that three young Palestinians were shot here in Burlington, Vermont. Hate has no place here, or anywhere."
Updated Nov. 9, 2023, 2:00 p.m. EST
- Paul Kessler, a 69-year-old Jewish man in Ventura County, California, died when he hit his head during a clash between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrators. Authorities have said the incident was isolated but have not ruled out the possibility of a hate crime.
- France has recorded over 1,000 antisemitic acts since Oct. 7, and 486 people have been arrested for these offenses thus far.
- The Council on American-Islamic Relations said it has received 774 reports of bias incidents and requests for help from Muslims across the U.S. since the Hamas attack on Israel, representing a 182% increase over every 16-day period in 2022.
- A Muslim student at Stanford University was hit in a hit-and-run that is being investigated as a hate crime. The victim told police that the driver "made eye contact with him" and yelled "**** you and your people" before driving away.
- Antisemitic incidents in Britain have reached their highest number since the charity Community Service Trust (CST) began tracking hate crimes in 1984. They have recorded over 1,000 separate incidents, including 47 assaults. Director of Policy Dave Rich at CST said:
"The milestone of 1,000 antisemitic incidents since 7 October is a shocking indictment of the level of anti-Jewish hatred happening right now in our country. It is even more appalling when you remember that this wave of antisemitism began as a reaction to a terror attack on Israel that caused the largest loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust."
Updated October 23, 2023, 4:00 p.m. EST
- French police recorded over 320 physical acts of antisemitism and made over 180 arrests in the first 10 days of the Israel-Gaza war. In Carcassonne, the words “killing Jews is a duty” were graffitied outside a stadium.
- In Berlin, several buildings were spray painted with the Star of David, an act of antisemitic intimidation. A spokesperson from the Central Council of Jews said:
“That is, of course, a particularly painful thing to do in Germany, as it echoes back very directly to the ostracizing of Jews that took place in the 1930s.”
- In Toronto, there have been 14 reports of hate crimes since the Hamas attacks. Of the 14 reported incidents of hate crimes, 12 were related to antisemitism.
Updated October 18, 2023, 5:00 p.m. EST
- Early Wednesday morning, two assailants threw two Molotov cocktails at a synagogue in the center of Berlin, Germany. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned the assault, saying:
“We will never accept when attacks are carried out against Jewish institutions.”
“We are all shocked by this terrorist attack. Hamas’ ideology of extermination against everything Jewish is also having an effect in Germany.”
- The Palace of Versailles and three airports in Lyon, Toulouse, and Lille closed temporarily due to security concerns. The airports shut due to emailed threats, but they did not elaborate further on the exact nature of the dangers. France remains under a heightened threat alert level, enabling the authorities to add 7,000 soldiers to the 3,000 already circulating the streets.
- In Orange, California, flyers filled with antisemitic rhetoric were left in neighborhoods and on vehicles.
- In Pennsylvania, a man was charged after police say he pointed a gun and yelled slurs at attendees of a pro-Palestinian rally.
- In Boston, the word “Nazis” was spray-painted on the sign for the Palestinian Cultural Center for Peace.
- Abed Ayoub, from the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, said:
“There’s a lot of fear. There’s a lot of anxiety and uncertainty in everything that’s happening. It’s very reminiscent of the early days of post-9/11, where people didn’t want to go outside, they didn’t want to send their kids to school.”
What's the story?
- The controversial debate over the war between Israel and Hamas has erupted in protests worldwide.
- Hundreds of thousands of people are rallying for either side across cities and university campuses in Asia, Europe, and the U.S., some dueling in protest.
- Western governments have been strong in their support for Israel, prompting an outcry from many pro-Palestine and leftist groups, and Arab and Muslim-majority countries. Some have been in opposition to Israel, while others have been in support of Hamas.
Campus protests
- In New York City, students at Columbia University gathered on the main quad — one side showing support for Israel and the other showing support for Palestine. The two groups stood just yards apart. A similar scene unraveled in Times Square.
- Universities across the U.S. are receiving criticism from their student body for either their silence, backing of Israel, or support of Palestine. Student groups at Harvard University issued a statement blaming Israel's policies for the massacre of civilians, which led to backlash from alums.
- Professor Zachary Lockman at New York University said these debates are nothing new, but they are intensified right now. He said among students, the conflict translates into "deepening polarization, and very little common ground." He explained that the debate is framed on social media as:
"They're either with us or against us."
Global rallies
- Jewish communities in France and the U.S. held rallies on Friday in solidarity with Israel.
- In Turkey, crowds gathered to protest Israel and stand with Hamas.
- Demonstrators in Rome held a large Palestinian flag overhead. Rallies were held in other European cities, including Berlin, Denmark, and Braband.
- Germany and France banned pro-Palestinian rallies due to public safety concerns. French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said any organization of protests would lead to arrests. He added:
"Pro-Palestinian demonstrations must be prohibited because they are likely to generate disturbances to the public order."
- In Baghdad, tens of thousands of Iraqis protested Israel in Tahrir Square, burning the blue and white flag and chanting anti-U.S. and anti-Israel cries. The protests were called by the influential Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr.
- Iran, whose government supports Hamas, held state-organized rallies in support of the militant group.
- Citizens of Yemen carried large Palestinian flags during a demonstration in the capital, Sana'a.
- Protesters of Israel shouted in Japan:
"Israel, terrorist. Free Palestine."
- In Sri Lanka, demonstrators held signs that said:
"Palestine you will never walk alone."
- Around 1,000 Muslims rallied in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, after Friday prayers to show solidarity with Palestinians and condemn Zionism. More protests took place in Afghanistan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cape Town, Chile, Egypt, Jordan, the Kashmir region of India, Spain, and more.
How do you feel about the global response?
-Jamie Epstein & Emma Kansiz
(Photo credit: Dave Decker/Creative Loafing)
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As long as they keep it non-violent and factual it's fine with me, Unfortunately there have been deaths from all the misinformation including @Causes reporting a day of jihad instead of a day of protests.
Words matter!
-Chicago - 6yr old Palestinian boy murdered by landlord who read that there there had been a call for jihad when in fact it was a call for a day of protests
-Belgium - 2 Swedish tourists killed because an Iraqi refugee living in Sweden burned a Quran.
-Egypt -policeman killed 2 Israeli tourists
-France - radical Islamist killed a teacher
https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-egypt-attack-tourism-af8a02136c390721a0fdef647394154c
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/two-swedes-shot-dead-brussels-police-2023-10-16/
https://amp.9news.com.au/article/28ec8a2f-ca2d-4231-8a17-8dfd54c80750
https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/16/people-killed-brussels-shooting-police-say
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/israel-hamas-misinformation-hate-crime-b2430788.html
Sharing a sentiment found online from an unidentified author.
Interrupt the Online Hate
If you see any anti-Semitism online, interrupt it.
The Israeli government is in the wrong.
Not the civilians nor Jewish people worldwide.
If you see islamophobia online. Interrupt it.
Hamas is in the wrong
Do not let people use its actions as an excuse to justify or neglect the Massacre of the Palestinian people.
Do not allow Hamas' views or actions to represent Muslims or Palestinians for that matter.
People are not their governments.
There is a rise of authoritarian, fascist, and extremist powers in the world pretending the speak for billions of civilians worldwide who just want clean water, good food, a place to live, love, family, and have peace and joy.
Regular people are not the ones fighting in the mid-east but, as ususal, they are the ones dying. Even here at home. WHY would anyone stab an eight year old boy, who has NOTHING to do with the war across the sea? Why kill anyone of a different religion? Are they harming you? Are they keeping you from "worshipping" as you choose? Do as though wilt and harm NO ONE.
Support Israel not Hamas who is Isis!
The Right To Protest
The First Amendment protects the right to assemble and express our views through protest.
However, police and other government officials are allowed to place certain narrow restrictions on the exercise of speech rights.
Become familiarized with the local rules and regulations and the need for permits.
When protesting be aware of your surroundings and be leery of law enforcement's attempts to corral demonstrators.
Pay particular attention to group pressures and avoid getting swept up by group emotions.
Prepare and bring a bag with snacks, water, first aid kit, etc.
Be judicious with the use of your cell phone camera, other cameras and camcorders.
It is very advisable to become thoroughly knowledgeable of the various opinions of the issues at hand before joining or attempting to organize public protests.
You may be asked by the media to explain why you are protesting, have a prepared statement and have a friend also record your response to deal with out of context quotes and outright misquotes.
With respect to protesting regarding the current Israeli / Hamas / Palestinian Conflict even a cusory knowledge of the situation means accepting there have been serious crimes committed by Israel and Hamas.
The relationship between Israel and Palestine has been controversial for over 100 years, and maybe it's time for people to start openly discussing it (peacefully) instead of letting feelings fester in classrooms and battle lines.
Disagreement over how these two groups have treated each other should be protected under the First Amendment as far as the government is concerned, but college campuses and online platforms have a right to screen and act as they see fit.
Hamas is an evil terrorist group, and these attacks should never have happened, but that doesn't mean we can't be critical of the Israeli government and its treatment of the Palestinian people. We all need to learn the difference between politics and religion, provocation and tolerance.
It is hard to swallow when you realize that most of the world is rooting for a group of people, that are lead by a criminal equal to our trump, that is killing millions of children a day without regard.
Democrats been funding terrorist Iran since Obozo days
@Causes, the attempted murder of these 3 young men is more important than bundling it with a bunch of other topics. Stop being lazy.
This shooting of these young Palestinian students in Vermont is awful and is a sign that Islamophobia is ramping up in our country just as antisemitism has been.
I will remind you all again that every time you say something hateful or condemning about someone who's not like you, you might be inspiring others to commit violence. Palestinians are just as human and just as vulnerable as all other people are, and deserve to be able to attend universities in our country in safety.
Shame on this attacker and all who are saying hateful things.
Glad to see so many pushing for an end to the war, but these hate crimes have to stop.
People are not to blame for what organizations do, nor what their Government does.
I live in the USA and I am not responsible for what my Government does, nor what the Republicans do.
So, Jewish people should not be targets because of Isarel and Palestinians should not be targeted because of Hamas.
So much hatred and misdirected anger has been unleashed by the former president. donald displayed bullying to such a great degree that people who were filled with anger admired him because he hated the same people that they did. donald provided an example of how to make choices based on unsound emotion instead of FACTS. I fear that his poor example will take time to be overcome. I pray that cooler heads will prevail.
Antisemitism anywhere, anytime against anyone is not acceptable
We have gone so far down the slippery slope of acceptable discrimination in all areas and corners of life that I don't think we will ever recover. Is there anyplace on Earth we can live in PEACE?
We need to support both Israel and the Palestine people. The government of Israel is fighting Hamas government, it is not the people of Palestine that chose this war, but governments like Iran, Qatar and others, the people do not matter to these countries they expendable as shields for their corruption. They live with the mindset of the 14th century it shows by the property and so called government culture towards the people!
What Hamas did was despicable and I think the leaders should be tried for Crimes against Humanity and put to death
THAT being said, Netanyahu and his Government's response is just as bad, and the punishment should be the same.
One can be pro-Israel and anti-Netanyahu! I am living proof and Isarel should get no further funding from the U.S.A. while he and his right wing Government are in power. Let me remind ALL the lawmakers that this man is trying to dismantle Democracy so he doesn't have to pay for his crimes and corruption. That is anti-Democratic.
Any Genocide is immoral, and any attempted Genocide should be called out.
The USA should not support Genocide-period.
Sadden by ANY HATE CRIME against ANY GROUP.
The new world-terrorists are heroes.
The more the population of this Planet grows the more ignorant people become. I wonder if these same people would have protested the United States when we dropped the Atom bombs on Japan to save American Lives. I find these protestors to be complicit in what happened in Israel so that country has every right to do what it intends to do. One problem I have is our open border. If we have an incident here because of that border Biden will be held accountable by the American People.
Global response to the war, global response to antisemitism, response to this man being killed?
You can't be filled love and hate Israel unless of course you don't know history. Remember it was Hamas who started it. Hopefully Israel will finish it!
Mr. President this behavior is unacceptable and you expect this specific group to vote for you this election coming up and if I was a member of that group I would ask why!
Israel is only an ally when they want something from us. Iran is clearly an ally of Russia. It is very likely that Russia and Iran collaborated to have the attack launched to divert the world's attention away from the war in Ukraine. It certainly worked on the Republican Party. That isn't surprising as they are known for basically sucking Putin's dick. My representative Pete Stauber would gladly drop to his knees and do what Putin desires
We have to do something, we cannot sit by while civilians are being slaughtered in their homes
The Israel Gaza would not last long if only one side was in the wrong!!!!
MSM needs to stop giving them their 30 seconds of fame...... they need to be arrested.
"Haters" are going to hate no matter the reason. Most of this nonsense is just hype created by uninformed minds. Most people don't realize Catholicism, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism teach the "Ten Commandments". The "Seven Steps to Enlightenment" of Buddhaism resemble the so-called "Seven Deadly Sins' and are quite similar. These being the last seven of the Ten Commandments. A good study of theology should be taught in public schools so ignorance doesn't run amok, For it is ignorance of what is that has and always well be a major cause of chaos. Along with "programing" of others due to personal beliefs isn't good for the soul. Judges and other government officials should be thoroughly screened for their beliefs in Theocracy which has no place in any society. Religion should be a PRIVATE belief and kept to one's self and respected so others may have that same freedom.
One of the major rules is "Thou shall not kill." which is ment to say that separating the soul from the physical body, ON PURPOSE, is a "no-no". But then again, those in power don't want to lose that control over the masses. We then end up with continued chaos in the world.
ALL of life is each and every one of us attending the school of "Hard Knocks" by our own experiences and the influence others have on us. The "Craft" alone, requires "Harm to None." Time to live and let live, don't you think.