Man arrested for threatening decorated Muslim Police Officer and her son
A man accosted a decorated off duty Muslim-American police officer, and her 16-year-old son in Brooklyn, New York. Aml Elsokary, born and raised in New York City, intervened when she saw the man shove and verbally abuse her son. At that point he turned his rage on her, shouting an expletive, which he appended to the word “ISIS,” and threatening to cut her throat. The alleged suspect, Christopher Nelson, 36, was soon arrested and arraigned on a charge of menacing as a hate crime, which is a felony.
Officer Elsokary joined the police force following the 9/11 attacks. She’s a practicing muslim, who wears a head scarf under her police hat. She’s proven her bravery in the line of duty: in 2014 she was decorated for saving a man from a fire. The heroic officer attended a press conference with New York’s Mayor, and reiterated her commitment to helping all people, no matter what their religion.
Several similar hate crimes have occurred in New York City, and across the nation, over the last few months. According to many observers, including the Southern Poverty Law Center, which has a long history of activism in the civil rights movement, these incidents appear to be escalating in frequency following Donald Trump’s election victory, and are of great concern to both law enforcement and civil rights groups. Many fear that Donald Trump’s campaign rhetoric, which was particularly negative towards muslims and Mexicans, has served to incite marginal members of his following to violence.
The bigotry and violence that these attacks against innocent people represent are unconscionable and have no place in a free and just society. We must all speak out against these crimes, and intervene or call for help when ever we see them occurring. And most important of all, Donald Trump must continue to loudly and clearly disavow such attacks, and publicly denounce and admonish those who make such threats and perpetrate such crimes. It’s not enough that the President Elect has mentioned this once or twice. A few mild statements after an entire year of fiery, rage-filled rhetoric aren’t enough to make a difference and correct a problem he set in motion with his own words.
Learn more about Officer Esokary’s ordeal (ABC News)
Photo: ABC News
