The Anti-Defamation League and American Muslims Assisting Neighbors are raising the alarm as tension spills over to U.S.
Hate crimes against Jewish and Muslim people are on the rise in Chicago and across the country as Americans react to the war and thousands of civilian casualties in Israel and Gaza, faith leaders warn.
Since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel and subsequent Israeli airstrikes escalated the conflict, people in the U.S. are seeing the effects of prejudice against both religions.
In the most notable case, Muslim Palestinian American boy Wadea Al-Fayoume was killed and his mother was critically injured in Plainfield Township when a man attacked them with a knife last week.
But smaller-scale hate crimes and other hateful acts have been reported in the Chicago area in recent days. This week, an Israeli flag covered in graffiti hung out of an apartment in Champaign, Illinois, and a man threatened to shoot two Muslim men, according to Anti-Defamation League Midwest Regional Director David Goldberg and the DuPage County Sheriff.
Larry York, 46, charged with two counts of a hate crime after telling the men in an apartment complex lobby “f- — — you f- — — ing Muslim motherf- — — — — s. This is America. Get the f- — — out of here. I’ll shoot you, motherf — — — — — s. Get out of here,” according to the sheriff’s office.
He allegedly called some of his friends to come and shoot the men, the sheriff’s office said.
“The allegations against Mr. York are extremely disturbing, and in DuPage County we have no tolerance whatsoever for such vitriolic actions, as alleged in this case,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in the release.
York is scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 2.
“It’s all about, how secure are we as a community?” said Mohammed Faheem, president of American Muslims Assisting Neighbors.
