San Diego sees rise in anti-Muslim hate incidents: report

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- Members of the Council On American-Islamic Relations, along with civil rights advocates, students and local school administrators, gathered Tuesday to demand local leaders call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

They also asked for more protection amid a recent rise in Islamic hate incidents locally, as well as a safeguard for their right to speak out against the war in Gaza.

The council recently released it's annual civil rights report, which documents a major increase in anti-Muslim hate in the months following the attack on Israel. 

There were more than 8,000 reported incidents across the country, and here in San Diego there has been a 300% increase in reported cases, according to their report.

“A lot of the cases that we received in our office reflect employment discrimination, hate incidences happening in the community against business, students on kids through 12 (grade) and college campuses," said Tazheem Nizam from the council's San Diego office.

“I have seen students being bullied at school because of their names,” said Imam Taha Hassane from the Islamic Center of San Diego. "Because they are Muslim or Palestinian.”

One young man who attends San Diego State claimed the university has not done enough to support them or protect their right to free speech.

“They have chosen to ignore us, they've chosen to allow us to be attacked and so we will hold them accountable," the student stated.

SDSU responded with a statement outlining all the programs they have to support student of different religions and ethnicities.

”We as American Muslims are being targeted and singled. Our ask is for the Biden administration to declare a permanent ceasefire,” Nizam added. “We are asking that we, as a community, not be stifled, our speech not be restricted, our freedom of expression and our First Amendment rights not be taken away from us.”