MEDIA ADVISORY

**FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION**

CAIR-Chicago Reacts to FBI's 2017 Hate Crime Report

(Chicago, IL 11/13/2018) -- The Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago), is alarmed at the increase of bigotry and hate reported to law enforcement throughout the United States. The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) released its 2017 Hate Crime Statistics this morning.

The 2017 report shows an increase in hate crimes motivated by religious bias, at 1,679 incidents compared to last year’s 1,538. Jewish and Muslim individuals were the victims of 58.1 percent and 18.7 percent of religiously motivated hate crimes, respectively. The occurrence of reported anti-Semitic hate crimes increased since 2016. Anti-Muslim hate crimes fell by only 6 percent.

Hate crimes motivated by race increased by close to 600 incidents in 2017, with those motivated by anti-Black or African American bias making up 48.8 percent. In addition, reported anti-Arab crimes rose by 1.3 percent in the racially motivated hate crime category. 

“This is the third year where we witness an increase in reported incidents of hate targeted at our most vulnerable populations. Between 2016 and 2017, CAIR-Chicago has received a 50 percent increase in reported incidents of discrimination and we are working nonstop to not only bring justice to those harmed, but work with all of our local community partners and allies to promote understanding and inclusion. We can do better. We must do better,” Sufyan Sohel, Deputy Director of CAIR-Chicago, said.

CAIR-Chicago’s Executive Director Ahmed Rehab expressed concern that many anti-Muslim bias incidents and crimes still go unreported to law enforcement. “Reticence to report has been a constant challenge for our community that we are constantly working to overcome.”

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: CONTACT: CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab, 202-870-0166, arehab@cair.com; CAIR-Chicago Communications Coordinator Saadia Pervaiz, 312-212-1520, spervaiz@cair.com; CAIR-Chicago Communications Coordinator Asha Binbek, 312-212-1520, abinbek@cair.com