On Thursday, May 30, the Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-TX), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, plans to join with North Texas Imams (Islamic religious leaders) and Dallas Black Clergy to condemn the Biden administration’s complicity in yet another Israel-U.S. massacre of Palestinian civilians in a so-called “safe zone” in Gaza, which further exposes the Israeli government’s “genocidal brutality.”

WHEN: Thursday, May 30, 2024, at 10 a.m.

WHERE: HEXA Co-Working conference room #110, 2100 N. Greenville Ave. Richardson, TX 75080

CONTACT: CAIR-TX Executive Director Mustafaa Carroll, (832)549-1042, mcarroll@cair.com; CAIR-TX Director William White, (713) 254-2016, wwhite@cair.com,  CAIR-TX Board Chair Sarwat Husain, (210) 378-9528, shusain@cair.com

[NOTE: CAIR is now using the term “Israel-U.S.” to describe war crimes in Gaza because the Biden administration’s ongoing provision of money and weapons to the Israeli government despite President Biden’s violated red lines makes the U.S. intentionally complicit in the ongoing slaughter of Palestinians.]

BACKGROUNDER:

On Monday, May 27, 2024, 21 Palestinians were killed, at least 12 of them women, in strikes on tents housing displaced people in the designated humanitarian area in Mawasi in western Rafah. Israel has slaughtered more than 36,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children. Some two million Palestinians have been forcibly displaced.

In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said:

“Day after day, massacre after massacre, and the Biden administration continues to ship the bombs to the far-right, openly genocidal Israeli government that it uses to slaughter Palestinian children, women, medical personnel, journalists, international aid workers, and the sick and elderly, and continues to shield Israel from international accountability. This genocidal brutality, which is being exposed daily by piles of charred and dismembered Palestinian civilians, must stop.

“Sadly, because of President Biden’s insistence on sending more bombs to enable Netanyahu’s war crimes in Rafah, this is now as much an American genocide as it is an Israeli genocide.”

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.             

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.            

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CONTACT: CAIR-TX Executive Director Mustafaa Carroll, (832)549-1042, mcarroll@cair.com; CAIR-TX Director William White, (713) 254-2016, wwhite@cair.com,  CAIR-TX Board Chair Sarwat Husain, (210) 378-9528, shusain@cair.com

WATCH THE VIDEO.

The Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-TX) strongly condemn the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) for shutting down the Texas Capitol grounds just days ahead of a planned protest against Israel’s genocide in Gaza. This action directly undermines the constitutional right to free speech and peaceful assembly.

In a statement, CAIR-Dallas Fort Worth Executive Director Mustafaa Carroll said: 

“The shutdown of Capitol grounds is a blatant attempt to suppress free speech. The right to protest and voice dissent is fundamental to our democracy. This decision by DPS is an alarming infringement on our First Amendment rights.”

CAIR-Houston Director William White said: 

“Governor Abbott’s actions are a clear attempt to stifle free speech, particularly pro-Palestinian voices. Shutting down public spaces just days before our planned protest is an unacceptable abuse of power and a direct attack on our constitutional rights.”

CAIR-Austin Operations Manager Shaimaa Zayan said:

“This continuous censorship of pro-Palestinian voice is unacceptable. On Tuesday May 14th, TX senate discussed limiting the college students’ freedom of speech inviting single-sided attesters. However, more than 200 public testimonies were favoring the students’ first amendment right. It is clear that our officials do not represent their people”

Sarwat Hussain, CAIR San Antonio Board Chair said: 

“Gov Abbott blatant attempt to crackdown on lawful Palestinians and people of all faiths voices, who are seriously concerend for continuous genacide in Gaza. By trying to shut down the State Capitol ground, is not going to work anymore. It is a blatant attack on people constitutional rights for a peaceful protest”.

Governor Abbott’s Executive Order 44, which aims to suppress pro-Palestinian free speech, is already under legal challenge by CAIR. This latest move by Texas DPS to shut down the Capitol grounds is a clear and disturbing effort to further restrict the rights of Texans to express their views and assemble peacefully.”

CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

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CONTACT: William White, Director, CAIR Houston, 713-254-2016, w-white@cair.com; Mustafaa Carroll, Executive Director, CAIR DFW, mcarroll@cair.com