CAIR-Chicago Condemns Anti-Asian Incident at Sporting Event, Supports Lawmaker’s Call for Action After Other Anti-Asian Incident
(CHICAGO, IL, 1/20/2022) – The Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) today condemned an anti-Asian racist incident at a basketball game between Northwestern University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. CAIR-Chicago also supported a state lawmaker’s call for action after another anti-Asian racist incident in Springfield, Ill.
A viral Tik Tok video shows a University of Wisconsin-Madison fan making racist gestures toward a group of Northwestern fans at a basketball game between the two universities on Tuesday. The video shows the fan being escorted out of the stadium by a Northwestern official and a police officer. The Wisconsin Badgers condemned the incident on Twitter, calling it “abhorrent & disgusting.”
SEE: Wisconsin Badgers respond to video of racist fan at Northwestern game
Illinois State Representative Teresa Mah (D-Chicago) is calling on Lowes to take action and provide racial sensitivity training to employees after an alleged anti-Asian incident at a Springfield Lowe’s. A Chinese immigrant was reportedly told to “go back to your country” by another customer. When she reported the incident to Lowe’s staff, they told her to stop recording video and threatened to kick her out of the store. In her online petition, Rep. Mah said this was not the first anti-Asian incident she heard of happening at a Lowe’s.
SEE: State lawmaker calls for change after alleged racist comments made at Springfield Lowe’s
“As racist incidents targeting Asian-Americans and other members of minority communities continue to rise both in Illinois and nationwide, it is important that lawmakers, leaders and community members speak out and take action against hate,” said CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab.
He said the American Muslim community and CAIR-Chicago stand in solidarity with all those challenging anti-Black racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, white supremacy, and all other forms of bigotry.
CAIR-Chicago is currently running a Bystander Intervention project, where staff members train individuals interested in combatting Anti-Asian and Islamophobic harassment.
SEE: CAIR-Chicago’s Bystander Intervention Project
https://www.cairchicago.org/bystander-intervention-project
CAIR-Chicago is the Chicago Chapter of America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Our mission is to defend civil rights, fight bigotry, and promote tolerance.
–END–
CONTACT: CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab, 202-870-0166, arehab@cair.com; CAIR-Chicago Communications Coordinator Saadia Pervaiz, 312-374-2131, spervaiz@cair.com; CAIR-Chicago Communications Coordinator Hannah Faris, 312-212-1520, hfaris@cair.com