The Arab American Civil Rights League’s (ACRL) along with Michigan State Rep. Alabas Farhat (D- Dearborn) are demanding state and federal authorities investigate a knife attack on a 7 year old girl as a hate crime. Authorities say Saida Mashrah’s throat was slashed at a Detroit playground on Oct. 11 by 73-year-old Gary Lansky.
The Detroit Metro Times reported the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy group, called on prosecutors to determine the motive as well.
The Wayne County Prosecutor charged Lansky with assault with intent to murder and felonious assault but said there is no evidence the attack was a hate crime, according to CBS News.
ACRL officials said Mashrah and her grandmother were the only Arab people at the playground at the time of the attack. After attacking the 7-year-old, Lansky allegedly approached her grandmother, who the ACRL said was wearing a hijab.
“You think this is some kind of scary Halloween movie for Saida and her family; this is real life,” said Nabih Ayad, founder and chairman of ACRL, to CBS. “When you just pull up, go after the only Arab-looking individual and only Arab Muslim and grandma over there is simply a hate crime.”
A Detroit judge denied Lansky’s bond at a court hearing last Tuesday.
“I feel scared, and I don’t want to go to school anymore and go outside alone,” Mashrah said at the news conference. “I just like staying by my backyard. When I grow up, I want to be a lawyer so I can let (Lansky) stay in jail.”
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