James warns against antisemitism, Islamophobia in New York

New York Attorney General Letitia James on Thursday strongly condemned and warned against antisemitism and Islamophobia in New York in the wake of the terror attack in Israel and the war in Gaza.

James said there have been recent reports of increased acts of hate and discrimination in New York. 

“Let me be clear: New York has zero tolerance for hate of any kind, not now and not ever,” she said. “As we mourn the loss of innocent Israeli and Palestinian lives, there is no excuse or tolerance for antisemitism, Islamophobia, or bigotry and discrimination of any kind. 

“No New Yorker should fear walking in our streets because of what they wear, what they believe, or where and how they practice their faith,” she added. “I encourage anyone who experiences a hate crime or bias incident to report it to my office.” 

The attorney general said New York’s human rights and civil rights laws prohibit violence, intimidation, harassment and discrimination against any person based on their race, national origin, religion, religious practice, ancestry, race, gender, age, disability, or sexual orientation.

James urges anyone who witnesses a hate crime or is a victim of a hate crime or bias incident to call 911 and report it online to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) or by calling OAG at 1-800-771-7755.

On Tuesday, James and a bipartisan group of 13 attorneys general from Arizona, California, Delaware, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia issued a joint statement on the current situation in Israel and the attacks launched by Hamas. 

“We are aghast and outraged at the wanton, calculated attacks on civilians going about their daily lives,” they said. “The carnage, perpetrated by Hamas and its supporters, has directly led to the loss of hundreds of innocent lives and horrific kidnappings. 

“We grieve with our Israeli siblings and with the loved ones of all those innocent lives lost in Israel and Gaza because of this surprise attack,” they added. “The targeting of civilians by Hamas as well as the thousands of rockets it has fired indiscriminately at civilian targets are acts that cannot be tolerated or rationalized. 

“Violence and terror are not the ways to achieve a lasting and meaningful peace in this conflict,” the attorneys general continue. “Only the rule of law, mutual respect and understanding can help all sides realize true security, freedom, justice, and peace.”