An effort to unite Jews and Muslims to denounce acts of hate in 海角换妻 illustrated some of the challenges faced in trying to bring people together as the Israel-Hamas war continues.
Four or five pro-Palestinian demonstrators on Friday repeatedly interrupted a press conference in Hartford, where several faith and community leaders were calling for an end to harassment of members of Jewish, Muslim and Arab communities in 海角换妻. Such harassment has increased since Hamas attacked Israel, and Israel responded by bombing Gaza.
The demonstrators shouted questions and chanted while 海角换妻U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who has voiced his support for Israel, spoke.
鈥淲e urged that more humanitarian aid be provided,鈥� Blumenthal began.
鈥淲hy do you want to give Israel more money?鈥� shouted protester Eamon Ormseth, who was among the demonstrators who unfurled a banner reading 鈥淪top Funding Genocide鈥� written in the colors of the Palestinian flag.
David Waren with the Greater Hartford Jewish Federation spoke out.
鈥淟et the senator finish his comments! Be quiet!鈥� Waren said.
Ormseth told reporters that the U.S. is 鈥渁n accomplice to the genocide of the Palestinian people.鈥�
"It is completely unacceptable what the American leadership is doing right now,鈥� he said.
Blumenthal offered to speak with the demonstrators after the press conference.
鈥淚t's a free country, fortunately. And folks can show up in front of the Capitol, And I welcome free expression in this country,鈥� Blumenthal said. 鈥淲e are here on a really serious topic, which is a .鈥�
Authorities say the boy, Wadea Al-Fayoume, and his family were attacked on Oct. 14 by their landlord because of their Islamic faith and as a response to the escalating . It is being investigated as a hate crime. The Associated Press reports that in Illinois alone in the past week, a suburban man was charged with a hate crime in an assault against two Muslims and an Islamic day school canceled class after receiving threats.
鈥淲e need to say 鈥榥o鈥� to hate crimes wherever they occur,鈥� Blumenthal said.
Muslims are sometimes being harassed for speaking in support of Palestinians, said Farhan Memon, chairperson for the 海角换妻 chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil rights group.
鈥淲e are deeply troubled that Muslims in 海角换妻 are facing a rise of harassment and bullying, because of misguided conflation with the events abroad. Equating American Muslims with foreign terrorist groups is wrong,鈥� Memon said. 鈥淲e have the same concerns of the loss of innocent lives and livelihoods as all people of conscience.鈥�
Memon said Muslims sometimes face harassment for criticizing Israel's treatment of Palestinians. Criticism of Israel's policies should not automatically be labeled as antisemitism, he said. The Jewish groups in attendance did not directly respond to that comment.
In recent weeks, synagogues across 海角换妻 have boosted security following various bomb threats. On Oct. 13, a in West Hartford reported an emailed bomb threat that turned out to be a hoax. That same day, a bomb threat was reported against a
That comes as incidents of antisemitism are on the rise.
鈥淗ere in 海角换妻, ADL has tracked a 295% increase in reported hate incidents in our own communities, over the same 20-day period as last year,鈥� said Stacey Sobel, the 海角换妻 Director of the Anti-Defamation League, a civil rights organization for Jews and members of other groups.
鈥淭hese incidents include bomb threats, swastikas, graffiti, verbal harassment, white supremacist propaganda, and students feeling unsafe in schools throughout the state,鈥� Sobel said.
Sobel said some of the recent hate incidents do not cross the line into criminal behavior. But, at the same time, she said some of the incidents are escalating.
鈥淧eople are afraid,鈥� Sobel said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
