Muslim Communities Face Assault, Discrimination in North America

Muslim Communities Face Assault, Discrimination in North America
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The Muslim owner of an Oshawa Pizza Pizza restaurant is recovering after being violently attacked by a group of teenage girls, Toronto City News reported. The incident occurred early Wednesday when the woman attempted to stop the teens from stealing. A witness described the victim, in her 40s, being repeatedly punched and stomped, with her hijab forcibly removed during the “swarming” assault. While no overt racial slurs were heard, the removal of the hijab was deemed “totally racist.” Durham Regional Police are investigating the incident, including whether it constitutes a hate-motivated offense. The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) has voiced its strong condemnation, calling for urgent action to address a noted increase in Islamophobic attacks nationwide.

Separately, in Oregon, USA, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has filed a federal lawsuit against the Oregon Department of Corrections (ODOC), MSN reported. The suit alleges that ODOC denied religious accommodations for incarcerated Muslim men by refusing certified halal meals and preventing them from celebrating Eid holidays with congregational prayers and family visitations. CAIR asserts that ODOC facilities provide such accommodations to Jewish, Native American, and Christian incarcerated individuals, highlighting an alleged disparity in treatment. The lawsuit aims to compel ODOC to provide certified halal meals and restore family visitation for Eid, arguing these denials violate both constitutional and federal law.