The California Highway Patrol logo. Courtesy CHP.
A Muslim advocacy group, the Council on American-Islamic Relations San Francisco Bay Area Office, is calling for law enforcement to investigate a reported assault on two pro-Palestine activists in Menlo Park.
On May 5, two volunteers with the Northern California Islamic Council were placing banners calling for peace in Gaza on a Menlo Park overpass over Highway 101 when they were approached by an unidentified man who allegedly demanded that they remove the banners, according to a press release from the organization.
In a statement, CAIR-SFBA “condemned an alleged hate crime targeting individuals advocating for Palestine, and called on law enforcement to conduct a swift, thorough investigation.”
A video that was published on the organization’s YouTube channel shows the unknown man pulling down one of the banners while yelling at the activists. The activists can be heard saying “do not hurt us” as the man runs toward them. He then grabs one of the activists by the shirt and pushes them, and attempts to grab the phone of a bystander who was recording the incident. After, he grabs the activists sunglasses and beanie, as well as their backpack, and throws the items down onto the highway below.
This is the third assault against pro-Palestine advocates in the Bay Area reported to CAIR-SFBA since the onset of the war in Gaza, the press release states.
“This violent assault on pro-Palestine activists is an affront to their basic rights and a troubling manifestation of the rising anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim rhetoric heard across the state and nation since Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza began,” said CAIR-SFBA Executive Director Zahra Billboo in a statement. “Images of law enforcement brutally assaulting and arresting peaceful protesters on college campuses also serve to embolden those who harbor hate and intolerance.
“No individual should ever face such aggression and violence for peacefully expressing their beliefs. We demand swift and decisive action from law enforcement, including arrest and hate crime charges, to ensure that the alleged perpetrator is held accountable for his reported actions.”
The California Highway Patrol’s Redwood City Area Office is handling the investigation of the alleged assault.
In an email to this news organization, Andrew Barclay, a California Highway Patrol spokesperson, said “the CHP did respond to this incident and is investigating. As it is an ongoing investigation, no further information can be released at this time.”
Related
