University of Michigan’s Muslim Students Hold Prayer Following Hate Crime
On Friday night, a female student wearing a hijab was approached by a man who threatened to light her on fire if she did not remove her head covering.
Another female student was approached by two men who referenced her religion, yelled at her for being in the United States and pushed her down a hill on Saturday night. Both crimes have been classified as intimidation crimes, with the latter classified as ethnic intimidation.
Also on Friday, a student found a swastika and hateful message written on the door of his apartment.
MSA President Farhan Ali, an LSA junior, said he was surprised by the large number of people who attended. He noted that to show solidarity with the female Muslim students on campus, male Muslims have been wearing the kufi, a traditional hat for Muslim men.
"People have these myths about Islam, and that’s how Islamophobia occurs,” Ali said. "We’re trying to figure out ways we can see to make this campus safer and we’re trying to talk to DPSS.”
University President Mark Schlissel and other administrators sent out an email Sunday night condemning incidents of intimidation and calling for unity on campus across political ideologies.
"We hope all members of our community can agree that we must not stand silent while facing expressions of bigotry, discrimination or hate that have become part of our national political discourse,” Schlissel wrote in the email.
The incidents follow the election of Donald Trump to the presidency on Nov. 8, who proposed a ban on all Muslim immigration during the campaign.
Organizers said Monday night’s gathering — which was open to Muslims and non-Muslim allies of the organization — aimed to give voice to those in fear following the election, as well as to initiate unity among all students on campus.
Source: The Michigan Daily
