Muslim NYPD Officer Threatened With Hate Crime
Aml Elsokary has been a member of the NYPD for 11 years. But when she was out of uniform with her son in Brooklyn, that didn’t matter as she was threatened on the street.
Elsokary had just dropped her son off in Brooklyn on Saturday night when he got into a confrontation with Christopher Nelson, 36. As Elsokary tried to intervene, Nelson reportedly told her “ISIS [expletive], I will cut your throat, go back to your country.”
Within 24 hours, Nelson was arrested and charged with menacing as a hate crime and aggravated harassment, reports CNN. His bail was set at $50,000.
“I help everybody no matter what your religion is. I’m born and raised here and I am here to protect you all. The department has supported me in wearing my hijab. I want to thank my Muslim officers for standing by my side,” Elsokary said at a Monday press conference.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio took the opportunity to condemn the racist act and defend Elsokary’s rights as an American citizen and veteran NYPD officer.
Officer Aml Elsokary – one of 900 Muslim-Americans in the NYPD – was attacked because of her faith. We stand with her. #AlwaysNewYork pic.twitter.com/ahDEXy0XU9
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) December 5, 2016
“This is her country, she is an American, she is a New Yorker, and this is her home. We cannot allow this hatred and bias to spread,” he said.
Hate crimes are in in New York, as they are in many other places, including a spike immediately following the election.
Photo Credit: Twitter