A member of Maryland’s commission set up to address hate crimes has been temporarily suspended after accusations she made antisemitic remarks.
Fox5 reports that Zainab Chaudry, the executive director of the Maryland chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations, posted images of an Israeli flag next to a Nazi symbol with the caption “That moment when you become what you hated most.”
The Commission launched just a month before the Hamas attack on Gaza in October.
Attorney General Anthony Brown announced the suspension Tuesday and urged commission members to “exercise great care in their communications and conduct,” according to WUSA9.
“Personal postings that could be reasonably perceived as hate speech may disrupt the ability of the Commission to accomplish its important work,” he said in the statement.
CAIR says nearly 4,000 people along with a dozen Muslim groups have signed a petition calling on Chaudry to be reinstated, reports WBOC.
“As the only American Muslim on the Attorney General’s Hate Crimes Commission, Chaudry’s voice was critical in representing our community’s concerns to your office,” a letter from Chaudry’s supporters to Attorney General Brown read. “Even a temporary suspension of her role is harmful and completely unjustified… Suspending Chaudry for criticizing the Israeli government’s horrific crimes and for expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people is unacceptable. This attack on her is an attack on all of us and we will not accept it.”
AsAmNews is published by the non-profit, Asian American Media Inc. Follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to support our efforts to produce diverse content about the AAPI communities. We are supported in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.
Hate is Hate…
Chaudry s suspension is unacceptable. People should have the right to criticize Israel for their crimes! Stop harrassing people and suspending them from their job because they exercise their rights. Criticizing Israel is not antisemitism. Please stop this propaganda. Anti zionism is not anti semitism.
History repeats itself IMO! No better example of this then the Hitler socialist party that during their pre assault
on Poland and Europe corrupted the young people minds by promoting antisemitic socialism! Israelis were demonized by Adolph Hitler Third Reich! Dial forward 83 years and look to colleges and universities.
Watch out Americans hamas and thre progressive socialists wish to create a revolution within America!!
Stop it
The comment by Chaudry displays a grave failure of judgment at the very least. Suspension is appropriate in my humble opinion, regardless of her status as an American Muslim. If an American Catholic, Protestant, Hindu or otherwise made this comment, it was ill timed and in poor taste.
She should be terminated from that position not just suspended. Criticism of Israel is not antisemitism but placing a Nazi symbol as she did is. If she didn’t comprehend that, then she has no business on that commission.