Horrifying Attack in Portland Should Not Be Met with Silence

May 27, 2017

Racial Justice

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 27, 2017

CONTACT
Adela de la Torre, [email protected], 213-400-7822

Horrifying Attack in Portland Should Not Be Met with Silence

PORTLAND, Ore. — A man viciously attacked three men who defended two young women on a Portland light rail train yesterday afternoon. Witnesses reported that the man was verbally attacking the women by making violent anti-Muslim remarks. Two of the men who intervened died because of the attack, and a third is injured but expected to survive. Below is a statement from Reshma Shamasunder, deputy director of programs for the National Immigration Law Center:

“Our hearts go out to the families of the victims of this heinous attack. This incident should make clear that hate speech and harassment has very real and devastating consequences for entire communities.

“The brave men who stood up to defend two young women, one of whom was wearing a hijab, and others who led police to locate the man who allegedly committed the attack, should serve as a model for President Trump and other elected officials, who have not spoken out in the face of increased Islamophobia.

“All of us should be able to live free from fear of harassment or assault, regardless of where we were born or how we pray. And we each have a responsibility to speak out against such injustice. Today, on the first day of Ramadan, the silence of our nation’s elected leaders is deafening. Portland — and the nation — deserve better.”

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