(SOUTHFIELD, MI, 8/28/12) The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) today called for a federal probe into a recent hate crime allegedly targeting a Jewish student of Michigan State University (MSU) in East Lansing.
On Sunday, MSU sophomore Zachary Tennen was reportedly assaulted by two men after being asked if his parents are Jewish. Tennen suffered a broken jaw and was stapled in the backside of his bottom teeth after the assailants reportedly chanted “Heil Hitler!”
SEE: ‘I’ve never heard of anything so horrific’ (Detroit Free Press)
http://www.freep.com/article/20120828/NEWS06/120828010/MSU-student-s-mouth-stapled-jaw-broken-in-hate-crime-attack
The East Lansing Police are currently investigating the assault as an act of ethnic intimidation.
“We condemn this apparent hate attack and call on federal law enforcement to intervene in the investigation of this case,” said CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid.”There is absolutely no justification for anyone to be assaulted based on ethnic or religious affiliation.”
Walid noted that Michigan contains numerous White supremacist and extremist Christian identity groups, referencing statistics from the Southern Poverty Law Center.
SEE: Southern Poverty Law Center Hate Map of Michigan (SPLC)
http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/hate-map#s=MI
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
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CONTACT: CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid, 248-842-1418, E-Mail: dwalid@cair.com