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MIAMI, FL, 9/11/19) – The Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Florida), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights advocacy organization, today welcomed the arrest of 25-year-old Harson Larkin, a DeLand City resident who allegedly threatened to kill members of the Jewish community in Miami.
The Miami Herald reported that Larkin, who is currently being held at a detention center in Orlando, threatened to shoot up a Florida synagogue. The Herald reported an excerpt of Larkin’s threatening string of messages directed to another individual he tried to persuade to meet him Miami:
“... I bought a gun with my first paycheck. If I don’t meet you, I will be forced to use it.”
“If meeting me for five seconds is not worth the lives of multiple Jews, then I have no other option.”
”There’s a Chabad near me. And Amtrak has no security for weapons. Don’t make me make a choice they’ll regret.”
“. . .I want to smell your fear.”
CAIR-Florida’s Communications Director, Wilfredo Amr Ruiz, stated:
“We keep witnessing an uptick in hate crimes against religious minorities in Florida. This time, it’s the Jewish community, but it is also affecting Sikhs, Muslims, and other religious groups. The incessant barrage of divisive rhetoric coming from the highest office in the land certainly contributes to a toxic environment that endangers the safety and security of all religious minorities. Worshippers everywhere expect instead a strong message from our leaders that anti-Semitism, racism, Islamophobia, and all forms of xenophobia are intrinsically un-American and un-patriotic and have absolutely no place in our nation.”
Ruiz also said that, in 2017, CAIR documented 144 anti-Mosque incidents including harassment, intimidation, and hate crimes and that it is still in the process of documenting all anti-Mosque incidents in 2018.
SEE: www.islamophobia.org
CAIR-Florida is the State’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR-Florida es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
CONTACT: CAIR-Florida Communications Director Wilfredo A. Ruiz, 954.272.0490 Ext 130, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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