Latest news with #Islamophobic
The Hill
10 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
NYPD investigating car bomb threat against mayoral candidate Mamdani
Police in New York are investigating car bomb threats against Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, according to a Thursday release from his campaign. Mamdani said a repeat caller has been leaving 'alarming' voicemails. 'While Zohran does not own a car, the violent and specific language of what appears to be a repeat caller is alarming and we are taking every precaution,' Mamdani said in a statement sent to The Hill by his campaign. 'While this is a sad reality, it is not surprising after millions of dollars have been spent on dehumanizing, Islamophobic rhetoric designed to stoke division and hate. Violence and racism should have no place in our politics. Zohran remains focused on delivering a safe and affordable New York,' the statement added. The New York State Assemblymember's reports of violent threats come after New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, a fellow Democratic mayoral candidate, was arrested while leaving immigration court. It also follows a 'politically motivated' shooting involving two Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota. 'This is an atrocious threat of political violence against Mr. Mamdani. It is unacceptable —I strongly condemn these threats and any others like them. This has no place in our politics or our society. Thankfully no one was harmed,' Andrew Cuomo, a Democratic candidate for mayor, wrote in a Thursday post on X. 'This is a pivotal time in this country and we need to tone down the rhetoric and focus on the people's agenda,' he added. Mamdani and Cuomo had a notably heated moment during the June 12 candidate debate. The former slammed the latter for past misconduct and mispronouncing his name. 'I have never had to resign in disgrace. I have never stolen hundreds of millions of dollars from the MTA. I have never hounded the 13 women who credibly accused me of sexual harassment. I have never sued for their gynecological records. And I have never done those things because I am not you, Mr. Cuomo,' Mamdani said during the debate. 'The name is Mamdani, M, A, M, D, A, N, I. You should learn how to say it,' he added. Cuomo and Mamdani are neck and neck with voters, separated by 10 percentage points— 55 percent to 45 percent— according to a June poll from the Marist Institute for Public Opinion. Jared Gans contributed to this article.
New York Post
15 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Zohran Mamdani receives car bomb threat in vile voicemail — prompting NYPD hate crime probe
A vile bigot left state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani's office an expletive-filled, anti-Muslim voicemail Wednesday threatening to bomb his car — one of several recent death threats the mayoral contender has received, his campaign and police said. The NYPD's hate crimes unit is investigating the threats against Mamdani, a Muslim US citizen who was born in Uganda, cops said. The same unidentified man left two voicemails — both of which were obtained by The Post — that mix racist bile with chilling threats of violence, sources said. Advertisement The NYPD said a vile bigot left state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani's office an expletive-filled, anti-Muslim voicemail Wednesday threatening to bomb his car. Christopher Sadowski 'You're a terrorist piece of s–t, and you're not welcome in New York or in America, neither is your f–king family so they should get the f–k out,' the sicko said in the message Wednesday. 'Go start your car and see what happens. I'd keep an eye on your house and family. Watch your f–king back every f–king second until you get the f–k out of America. Nobody wants your terrorist ways here. And check your beeper, too, you terrorist f–k,' he caller said, apparently referring to Israel's pager attacks against Hezbollah. 'Beep beep.' Advertisement Mamdani's Queens office has received four voicemails going back to March that make anti-Muslim threats, police said. A staffer reported the threats after receiving the disturbing Wednesday voicemail, which appears to be made by the same caller who left a similarly alarming message on June 11, sources said. 'While Zohran does not own a car, the violent and specific language of what appears to be a repeat caller is alarming, and we are taking every precaution,' said a spokesman for Mamdani's campaign. Every morning, the NY POSTcast offers a deep dive into the headlines with the Post's signature mix of politics, business, pop culture, true crime and everything in between. Subscribe here! Advertisement 'While this is a sad reality, it is not surprising after millions of dollars have been spent on dehumanizing, Islamophobic rhetoric designed to stoke division and hate. Violence and racism should have no place in our politics.' The hate crime investigation comes as Mamdani, who is running neck-and-neck with former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary, faced an uproar over his refusal to denounce the 'globalize the intifada' rallying cry — which many consider an incitement to violence against Jews. Mamdani has repeatedly said he rejects violence and antisemitism. He emotionally spoke Wednesday with tears in his eyes about the Islamophobic death threats he and his family have received, but didn't specify details. The unidentified individual left two voicemails — both of which were obtained by The Post that contained violent and racial threats to Mamdani. Derek French/SOPA Images/Shutterstock Advertisement The hateful caller, in the June 11 message, told Mamdani to go back to Uganda before someone shoots him in the head and 'gets rid' of his family. 'You are not compatible with our Western values,' the racist caller said. 'So stop spewing your antisemitic rhetoric and get the fuck out of America.' The calls were made from an untraceable number, sources said. 'There are no arrests and the investigation remains ongoing by the Hate Crime Task Force,' police said. Additional reporting by Joe Marino
The Wire
a day ago
- Politics
- The Wire
When Abroad, NDA Delegates Forced to State the Opposite of Their Exclusionary Politics at Home
New Delhi: The Modi government dispatched seven all-party parliamentary delegations – including former diplomats – to 33 countries to project India's collective resolve and 'zero tolerance' policy on terrorism in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor and the military conflict with Pakistan. Whether it was portraying India as a 'secular' country or one where Muslims enjoy equal rights and face no persecution, delegation members from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and its Shiv Sena alliance partner went out of their way in their interactions with these countries to speak in a language that is contrary to the politics they practice at home. Opposition members who were part of the delegations, on the other hand, were seen ridiculing Pakistan in a language that is often used by the BJP at home. Clearing 'misconceptions' about Muslim persecution, stance on PalestineBJP MP Nishikant Dubey – known for his sharp, often Islamophobic, comments and who just weeks earlier in April had called former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Qureshi a 'Muslim Commissioner' for criticising the Waqf Amendment Act – spoke about how Muslims in India enjoy equal rights, pointed to the religious diversity of the delegation he was part of, and claimed that India had always supported the 'two-nation theory' with regard to Israel's ongoing genocide in Palestine.'On this visit, the misconception that is there about what are we doing about Palestine and Israel, what are the conditions of Muslims… Owaisi (AIMIM MP Assadudin Owaisi, who was also part of the same delegation) said we have more Muslims than Pakistan,' said Dubey while speaking to ANI in Algiers, Algeria.'Is there any house that doesn't have problems? Don't Hindus have problems with each other. But our delegation had members of five religions and were all speaking in one voice. We all supported each other,' he – who was part of the delegation led by Baijayant Panda (also a BJP MP) – visited four Muslim countries: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Algeria. There, he paid tribute to a 'secular' India – a country supposedly at ease with its pluralism, extending equal status to all, de jure and de facto – that even ruling party MPs felt compelled to the BJP has criticised those supporting Palestine, Dubey said that the delegation had clarified that 'with regards to Palestine, we believe in the two-nation theory. We said that we are against Hamas, we don't support terrorism, but we are with the people of Palestine.' 'Second, the condition of Muslims in India is better than other secular nations. Owaisi also said that Article 25 gives equal rights. Third, Pakistan is the epicentre of terrorism whether it is Sudan, Turkey, or US – it is all emanating from Pakistan and therefore, they must be placed on the FATF grey list.'We have put forward our prime minister's view of the new normal that we will not tolerate any act of terror. We also pressed on the point that Pakistan doesn't have money to give food to its people. We have requested these countries that whenever Pakistan speaks to you, these countries have to say that they have to stop terror activities otherwise we will not be able to save you. Any country that is giving money to Pakistan, whether it is the US or IMF or World Bank, it is all going down the drain in the corruption of the military and their citizens are suffering,' he governments 'tried' talksIn Bahrain's Manama, Panda, who was leading the delegation that Dubey was a part of, took a cautious and even soft note in explaining India's 'new normal' stance. While he did use the lines being used by the BJP's top leadership – including 'talks and terror cannot go on' and 'blood and water cannot flow together' (referring to the Indus Water Treaty being held in abeyance) – he followed it up with a cautious note that India wants 'friendly relations'.'My colleagues are from across the country, we speak different languages, we have different religions. This is true India. This is the largest democracy ever in human history. This is the biggest message. We have taken certain steps – we have put in abeyance the Indus Waters Treaty, we have stopped visas, trade through ships coming in. Because the old thing – we have tried that for many decades – that we will keep playing cricket, cultural events, that has changed,' said a departure from the BJP's campaign during Operation Sindoor where it attacked previous Congress-led governments for holding talks with Pakistan despite terror attacks, Panda cited those efforts as an alibi to say that India had 'tried' it and that is ready to meet Pakistan 'more than halfway' if it takes credible steps against terrorism.'Talks and terrorism cannot go on at the same time. Blood and water cannot flow at the same time. But we make it very clear. We want friendly relations. But talks have not helped, cultural exchanges have not helped. This has been going for decades since 1947. So the message is very clear, you stop shooting, we stop shooting. All these steps show that we will meet you more than half way. If Pakistan takes credible steps to undo its terror infrastructure and take action against the terrorists – which the whole world is saying are terrorists – we will be more than happy to respond with friendly steps,' he no less than Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India has warned the civilians of Pakistan of his 'goli' (bullet), these delegations emphasised that India does not have anything against the people of Pakistan.'We know civilians want peace in Pakistan but everybody knows the army has disproportionate control and their incentives must change,' Panda was also full of praise for former Congress leader and Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was also part of the delegation, citing his ties and contact with the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organisation) as coming in handy, as well as his connect with NAM, or the Non-Aligned Movement. 'One of our delegation members is Ghulam Nabi Azad, very senior politician, who has had a particular role to play from the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) days, when he used to interface with people like late Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) chief Yassar Arafat. That carries a huge credibility,' he he brushed over was the fact that the Modi government has minimised India's Palestinian connect and NAM background. 'Human rights of victims of terror'BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, who was leading the delegation to the UK, France, Germany, EU, Italy and Denmark, spoke about the human rights of the 'young bride' who lost her husband in the Pahalgam terror attack, in an apparent reference to Himanshi Narwal. He made no reference to the fact that Narwal – whose husband Lt Vinay Narwal was killed in the terror attack – was brutally trolled by the right wing social media ecosystem for advocating peace and warning that the attack not become an excuse to target Muslims or Kashmiris. 'Who are human rights for? Do the victims of terror have human rights or not? Does that young bride who lost her husband just after 10 days of her marriage by the bullet of a terrorist have human rights or not? The whole concept of human rights must be properly understood and appreciated. We stand firmly for the human rights of the victims of terror,' he said while speaking in Brussels.'We are a democracy, we are a stable country. But this new dialogue must be conveyed in Belgium in the European Union. They don't have an answer to this. Enough of the human rights of terrorists. This must stop,' he added.'India a secular country'On being re-elected in 2019, Modi went to the extent of open mockery, saying, 'In this election not even a single political party could dare to mislead the country by wearing the mask of secularism.' But in the delegations they were part of, the BJP – and its ally both at the Centre and in Maharashtra, the Hindutva-focused Shiv Sena – were forced to champion the fact that India is a 'secular' country.'We are carrying a message against terrorism. India has been fighting this terrorism for a very long time.. But this what happened on April 22 in Pahalgam innocent families were killed who were there on vacation,' said Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde while speaking to Speaker of the House of Representatives of Liberia, Richard Nagbe Koon.'Young couples.. newly married who were there with their children were killed. Husband was killed before their wives. They were killed on the basis of their religion. The terrorists asked them which religion they belong to because their motive was to destabilise regional harmony in India. As you know India is a secular nation. All religious communities stay together in peace and harmony… Nobody wants war.''Stupid jokers'Not just MPs from the government, even opposition parties took to speaking a language not usually used by them in their domestic politics in MP Asaduddin Owaisi who has often been targeted by the BJP and by big media for speaking out against the targeting of Muslims – a senior BJP MP once taunted him to 'go to Pakistan' – was seen adopting a language that would please his BJP critics at in Kuwait, Owaisi responded to Pakistan's allegations that Muslims in India are persecuted.'Pakistan can't take up this issue of Muslims facing threats in India. India has a larger Muslim population than Pakistan and we are more sincere than them (Pakistan). This is their fake propaganda,' he has himself spoken in parliament on a number of occasions about how the BJP government is using state machinery to curtail Muslims' rights in the language of mockery while talking about Pakistan is usually associated with the BJP but Owaisi went on to call Pakistanis 'stupid jokers' as he mocked Pakistan's leadership after the country's newly promoted Field Marshal Asim Munir reportedly gifted a 'fake' picture to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at a dinner event in Rawalpindi'The Pakistani army chief gifted a photo to the Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif, the President was also there…These stupid jokers want to compete with India, they had given a photograph of a 2019 Chinese Army drill claiming it is a victory over India. This is what Pakistan indulges in,' said Owaisi had told The Wire that despite disagreements with the government at home, delegates will cooperate when abroad.'Breaching LoC for first time in Uri 2016'Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who has been at the centre of a storm in his own party since the delegations were first announced, stoked fire again when he said in Panama that India had breached the LoC (Line of Control) between India and Pakistan to conduct a surgical strike for the first time in September 2016, during the Uri made the remarks while leading one of the all party delegations in Panama but his own party leaders put out excerpts from his 2018 book'The Pradoxical Prime Minister in which he had criticised the BJP's 'shameless exploitation' of the 2016 strikes and said Congress had authorised such operations during its the delegates putting up a united front, it is learnt that in West Asia – an important region for the Modi government, particularly in the present context – pointed queries regarding the state of India's minorities and what evidence was there that the attackers were from Pakistan, dogged the delegates in open policy watchers, including former foreign secretary Shyam Saran have also questioned why the government excluded the region, its other neighbours in South Asia, where India needs maximum support.
DW
3 days ago
- Politics
- DW
Germany sees sharp rise in incidents of Islamaphobia – DW – 06/17/2025
06/17/2025 June 17, 2025 Germany sees record number of anti-Muslim incidents in 2024 Germany has recorded a new high in Islamophobic incidents, according to a civil society report published Tuesday by the organization Claim. The "civil society situation report on anti-Muslim racism" documented 3,080 cases of attacks and discrimination in 2024 — a 60% increase from 1,926 cases the previous year. In 2022, there were 898 cases. On average, more than eight incidents occurred per day. Verbal attacks made up the largest share, with 1,558 cases (nearly 56%). Another 25% were classified as discrimination, and 21% involved demeaning behavior. The report, supported by Germany's education, family, and interior ministries, also registered an increase in severe offenses. Claim documented two killings and 198 cases of bodily harm, including three attempted killings or serious injuries — up from zero killings and 182 bodily harm cases in 2023. Of the incidents in 2024, 968 targeted individuals, while 261 involved groups and 72 affected religious institutions, mainly mosques. In 71% of cases where gender was recorded, the victims were women. According to Claim, anti-Muslim incidents surged after Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel — mirroring a rise in antisemitic incidents. "This report is shocking," said Rima Hanano, Claim's co-executive director. She described the findings as a "new dimension" and a "warning sign," highlighting a rise not only in the number of incidents but also in the normalization, escalation, and brutality of anti-Muslim racism.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
LeafyIsHere triggers Islamophobia backlash with 'Nuke Israel' post, fans joke 'Suspension speed run again?'
Former controversial YouTuber Calvin Lee Vail, popularly known as LeafyIsHere, is under fire again. His recent potential Islamophobic post on X went viral, prompting immediate reactions from the followers. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now While some shared humor, others seemed to agree with his views on advocating extreme violence. A few followers even referenced his controversial past, welcoming him back into his true self. Known for pushing the boundaries with his provocative commentary, Vail's latest remarks are hateful and inflammatory. Here is all you need to know about it. LeafyIsHere new post draws attention, comments, and humor The latest controversy began with the shocking two-word post made by LeafyIsHere. The post reading 'Nuke Israel' immediately triggered outrage, with some calling it drastic and asking him to take a breather instead of supporting WW3. Some of Vail's followers even dismissed his comment with dark humor. A user on the post responded, "You do realise Israel has nukes too right? If anyone even tries to launch a nuke Israel will do the same." While another commented, 'Suspension speed run again?' referencing LeafyIsHere's history of platform bans. Some of his followers even laughed off with comments like, "That's fine, as long as it's in Minecraft :D." Some followers even seemed to be welcoming the controversial figure back to the online world. A comment showcasing it read, " Another leafy banger." With the post getting viral, not all were amused, though. It was clearly visible in one of the responses received by Vail on his post. It read, 'Worst choice ever, unless you want this whole planet to do, I suggest holding the nuclear option aside.. but I ain't taking no sides on this so whatever happens happens.' Just a few hours earlier, Leafy even engaged with the post from Iran Military Watch. The post, with the image of missile launches, read, "Operation True Promise III has officially entered its next phase." To it, Vail responded, "@israel they are about to shoot rockets at you," further amplifying concerns over the YouTuber's willingness to escalate the geopolitical tensions for some shock value. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now It could even be interpreted as a hateful rhetoric that's targeting the Jewish state and amplifying the Islamophobic tropes. But the truth? None know but can only interpret, considering his past controversies and remarks. Exploring LeafyIsHere past controversies and patterns of provocation The recent controversy of LeafyIsHere is not an isolated event. He has been an active user on X and in 2023 he made a series of deeply offensive remarks targeting the LGBTQ+ community. Amidst these posts, some stated, "god hates gay people," "all gay people are pedophiles," and "fuck the lgbtq." Vail, with his comments, even targeted Israel. His posts were inflammatory and included, "fuck Israel," "im not praying for israel," and "escape from israel," among others. He even mocked some conspiracy theories, posting, "i am only talking about country they said they have proof of aliens - aliens are not real i do not believe them." All comments and posts made in this respect by LeafyIsHere, were homophobic and anti-Israel. They also establish a pattern of using hate speech to garner attention and provoke reactions. With it, the commentary on Israel done by Vail recently is not new. His history underscores the consistent strategy of inflammatory rhetoric, with current backlash just adding to the long record of controversies, leading to his suspensions from some major platforms like Twitch and YouTube. LeafyIsHere fans remain divided between support and shock While many condemned the posts of Vail, others celebrated the unfiltered style of his. A few comments read, "Love this leafy comeback," and "you never disappoint brother," supporting his style. Some, however, urged restraint, with a user simply commenting, "Alright chill out." There are also some of his followers who, given Vail's history of bans and suspension on platforms, are wondering if the latest outburst would lead to another crackdown on the platform. However, his account did get suspended before, with being reinstated many times, and the most recent such happening was in June 2025. With the debates raging over hate speech vs free speech, one thing that remains clear is that LeafyIsHere is not backing down, and neither are the critics. Will his recent posts finally get him banned for good or not by the moderation team of X? Only time will tell.
