MEDIA ADVISORY

**FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION**

CAIR-Chicago and Partners Condemn Hate-mongering Aimed at Congresswomen of Color

(CHICAGO, IL, 7/22/2019) -- The Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) along with Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) today called a press conference condemning a Facebook post by the Illinois Republican County Chairman’s Association depicting Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as violent extremists.

On Friday, July 20, 2019, The Illinois Republican County Chairman’s Association shared a post with the four congresswomen superimposed onto a Gangster Squadpromotional poster. The poster reads “The Jihad Squad” and “political jihad is their game. If you don’t agree with their socialist ideology, you’re racist.” The Islamophobic, racist, and misogynistic poster also shows Representatives Omar and Pressley holding weapons while objectifying Ocasio-Cortez (see below).

"Using anti-Muslim tropes to drive hate against four congresswomen of color is not political debate, it is appealing to the lowest common denominator in fearmongering and division in hopes of political viability. This indicates intellectual and moral bankruptcy and a cop out from the issues that actually affect our daily lives as Americans from health care to education. Making America hate again does not Make America Great Again. It undermines the values that make it great.” Ahmed Rehab, CAIR-Chicago Executive Director stated.

Rehab noted that 2018 saw a surge in hate groups in the United States, with white supremacy groups growing by 50%, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. White Supremacists groups in the United States and Canada killed at least 40 people last year. From September 12, 2001 to December 31, 2016, 62 of the 85 (74 percent) attacks in the U.S. by violent extremists were committed by far-right violent extremists (U.S Extremist Crime Database, Univ. of Maryland).

SEE: Ahmed Rehab Speaks to ABC 7 About “The Squad” Hate Mongering

WHAT: Press Conference Condemning Illinois Republican County Chairman’s Association Facebook Post

WHO: Ahmed Rehab (CAIR-Chicago), Lawrence Benito (Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights), Maaria Mozaffar (CAIR-Chicago Legislative Director)

WHEN: Today, Monday, July 22nd, 2019 at 1:30 PM

WHERE: CAIR-Chicago @ 17 N. State Street, Suite 1500 Chicago, IL 60602

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.

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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 Hannah Faris, 312-212-1520, hfaris@cair.com