- For Immediate Release and Distribution -

(CHICAGO, IL, 9/30/2024) – The Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, welcomed a hate crime charge against Randy D. Velleff for his violent assault in Glenview, Illinois.

According to police reports, Velleff attacked the victim with a metal pipe during a confrontation and used a racial slur, prompting authorities to classify the incident as a hate crime.

“The hate crime charge is an important step toward holding individuals accountable for bigoted actions, especially in today's climate where polarization is at an all-time high and one-sided narratives are the primary source of information for many Americans,” said Maggie Slavin, CAIR-Chicago's Operations Manager. “We have seen direct links between the dehumanization of marginalized groups and the alarming rise in hate crimes reported to our office."

CAIR-Chicago’s mission is to defend civil rights, fight bigotry, and promote understanding.  

 
CONTACT: Ahmed Rehab, Executive Director of CAIR Chicago, 202-870-0166, arehab@cair.com; Maggie Slavin, Operations Manager of CAIR-Chicago, 815-590-3991, mslavin@cair.com; Hafsa Haider, Communications Coordinator of CAIR-Chicago, 561-317-7509, hhaider@cair.com