Following the publication of pictures by law enforcement of a man suspected of removing a hijab from the head of a young lady in April, Letitia James, NY Attorney General, issued a warning on Thursday, May 2. The NYAG said Islamic Prejudice will not be allowed in the state.
A news statement from the NYC Law enforcement agency that was shared with News media states that authorities are looking for help locating a guy who may be connected to an incident of worsened harassment that happened on April 28 at midday.
The seventeen-year-old was approached by the male, according to the authorities, who took off her hijab. The male allegedly said she shouldn’t be wearing the hijab before walking off from the place. The unnamed teenager was heading west towards 2nd Avenue in East Midtown when the event occurred.
Fortunately, authorities confirmed she was unharmed. Afterward, James posted on X, saying the act was unpleasant and unsafe. In response to an article, she said the act would not be allowed to slide.
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She also added that no one would be permitted to go along with such an act of fear or hatred towards Muslims or any religion. Furthermore, she urged individuals with a lead on the suspect to contact the right authorities.
According to a statement by law enforcement, anyone with insight is encouraged to contact the authorities either via the online channel crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or by calling the office at 1-800-577-8477.
The investigation is released at a time when pro-Palestinian demonstrations are on the rise across the city, school premises, and prestigious gatherings like the Met Gala in NYC, amid rising concerns regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict.
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Demonstrators are demanding that the violence come to an end. Also, they are urging Institutions like Columbia and NY University to cut their connections with Israel. Authorities have made several detentions and severe use of pressure in response to these demonstrations,
Prejudiced incidents have also been recorded at certain demonstration locations. Although the law enforcement authorities in New York have issued a warning about professional agitators jumping in and seeking to intensify the ongoing situation, student demonstrations have remained mainly nonviolent.
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The attorney general, Letitia James, also wrote on X that even though learners have the right to freely demonstrate and show their dislike of the Palestinian-Israel situation, that is not a yardstick or room to accommodate any form of prejudice.
Eighty-one cases of prejudice against Jews were registered between January 1 and March 31, according to the NY law enforcement agency. In 2023, over the same period, the number was sixty-one.
In NYC, bigotry against Muslims was documented in six cases during the first three months of 2024, as opposed to only two during the same period in 2023.
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