Ahmed Ghanim was removed from Kamala Harris’s town hall-style event in Royal Oak, Michigan on Monday. He says he was kicked out without explanation, which he thinks will further alienate the swing state’s Arab voters from the Democratic presidential nominee.
“…I am a Muslim candidate, and I was just kicked out of Harris’s rally for no reason,” Ghanim said in a video on social media. “I’m not dressed in any Palestinian keffiyeh or anything. I didn’t protest, I didn’t do anything, I was just sitting there, and they came and they kicked me out of the rally.”
Ghanim, an activist who was formerly a congressional candidate in the Great Lakes state, told Newsweek that he filled out paperwork to attend the event at the Royal Oak Music Theatre. He stood in line, went through security clearance and was seated before his removal.
“I feel there is not much respect or appreciation for the Muslim community,” Ghanim said to Newsweek. “No one from the campaign even called me and so it is lack of respect and I feel like I was singled out and I feel I was profiled.”
Ghanim said the incident would not help Harris attract Arab American and Muslim votes in Michigan, as reported by the Washington Times. Much of the voting bloc are upset about the Biden-Harris administration’s support for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
As a result, Harris has been struggling to capture Muslim votes in battleground states, including Michigan.
“Our campaign regrets this action and its impact on Dr. Ghanim and the community, and he is welcome at future events,” the Harris campaign said in a statement to 7 News Detroit. “We value our relationship with the Muslim American community and are committed to ensuring all community and political spaces are welcoming and respectful to every American.”
Michigan will award 15 electoral votes for the presidential election in November. Former President Donald Trump narrowly won the votes in the 2016 election before President Biden won them in the 2020 election.
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