Muslims in New York fear Islamophobia could rise as the Israel-Hamas war rages on
Muslim New Yorkers said they fear that Islamophobia could rise as the Israel-Hamas war rages on.
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Muslim New Yorkers said they fear that Islamophobia could rise as the Israel-Hamas war rages on.
After news broke that a 6-year-old Chicago boy was fatally stabbed for being Muslim in a hate crime linked to the war, Zead Ramadan, the director of Public Affairs for the Muslim American Society of Upper New York, said he became fearful for those who practice Islam.
"That baby and other Muslims around the country, right, feel completely targeted," Ramadan said.
He said he has real concerns about his safety in public.
"I fear for people walking down the street...I know. I thought about it. I said, 'Hey, I could be walking down the street, and someone can come up behind me with a baseball bat because they know I'm a proud Palestinian,'" Ramadan said.
Despite this tremendous fear, Ramadan said he has to continue finding a way to live his life.
"Are we going to stop going to work? Are we going to stop breathing? Are going to stop playing in my son's little soccer team or my other son's baseball team," Ramadan questioned.
Ramadan encourages his fellow members of the Muslim community to band together during this time.
"If someone wants to decide to something to you, they could. The bottom line is... It's just being vigilant, vigilant and being careful," Ramadan said.
He said he wants people to remember this message as the war rages on.
"We're all the same. You know, we all bleed red," Ramadan said.
