‘If You Want to Shoot Her…’ CAIR Releases X (Twitter) Spaces Audio of Pro-Israel Activists Discussing Ways to Target Rep. Rashida Tlaib During Arizona Visit
Muslim civil rights group previously shared audio with law enforcement, which is investigating incident.
(PHOENIX, AZ – 11/21/2023) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations of Arizona (CAIR-AZ), a local chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today released an audio recording of pro-Israel activists allegedly using X Spaces (formerly Twitter Spaces) to strategize about how to target Rep. Rashida Tlaib during her visit to Arizona last weekend, including whether it would be possible to travel through Arizona with a gun and enter CAIR-Arizona’s annual banquet with a firearm or “shoot her from far away.”
Last week, Rep. Tlaib visited Arizona for both an appearance at Arizona State University and a speech at CAIR-Arizona’s annual fundraising banquet. Arizona State University cancelled Rep. Tlaib’s appearance at the school. The CAIR banquet went ahead at an alternate location after the original hotel venue cancelled the event.
SEE: CAIR-AZ Condemns Sheraton for “Caving to Racist Pressure” and Announces Relocation of Event with Rep. Rashida Tlaib
Days before Rep. Tlaib’s visit, a Twitter user who was monitoring a pro-Israel group’s Twitter Space about the congresswoman shared the audio recording with CAIR. During a discussion about ways to visit Arizona and disrupt Rep. Tlaib’s appearances, pro-Israel users went from debating whether it would be legal to scream a sexually explicit insult at Tlaib during the CAIR banquet to discussing Arizona’s gun laws.
In the audio recording, the users—many of them using profile photos celebrities and pseudonyms—note that a person can travel through Arizona with a firearm without a license and how difficult it would be to attempt to enter the CAIR-Arizona banquet with a gun because of the expected security precautions. One speaker named ‘Stealth’ who used then objects to the idea of bringing a gun to the CAIR-Arizona event.
Another user named ‘George’ then says, “So, Stealth, what I’m hearing is that if you want to shoot her at the event, you have to do it from far away.” Immediately after this remark, the user named Stealth objected and the X Spaces session ended soon thereafter.
LISTEN: Audio Recording of Pro-Israel X Spaces Discussing Targeting Rep. Tlaib (Full Audio)
EDITED Audio Clip of Alleged Threat
CAIR and CAIR-Arizona shared the recording with both Rep. Tlaib’s office, local law enforcement and private security in advance of her visit. Capitol Police immediately launched an investigation. Extensive security was present at the banquet, which did not experience any disruptions.
In a statement, CAIR-Arizona Executive Director Azza Abuseif said:
“We thank the American Muslim X user who took the time to monitor and report this disturbing. conversation. We also thank law enforcement for quickly acting to investigate this incident, and we thank everyone who ensured that Rep. Tlaib’s visit to Arizona was ultimately safe and successful.”
CAIR encouraged law enforcement to treat these pro-Israel activists the same way they would a group of Muslim or pro-Palestinian activists who openly mused about carrying firearms across state lines, infiltrating a civil rights event, and shooting a member of Congress.
In a statement, CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said:
“This bone-chilling discussion among pro-Israel activists on Twitter about ways to harass, disrupt and even shoot Rep. Rashida Tlaib is the latest proof that Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism are absolutely out of control in the United States.
“The only thing more disturbing than the matter-of-fact discussion about targeting Rep. Tlaib is the fact that none of the hundreds of pro-Israel activists who heard this conversation live bothered to report it to law enforcement or warn Rep. Tlaib.”
[NOTE: More than 100,000 Americans have used CAIR’s action alert to contact their members of Congress and call for an end to the violence and the renewal of U.S.-led efforts to end the occupation. SEE: Urge Your Members of Congress to Address Root Cause of Mideast Violence]
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR-Arizona Executive Director Azza Abuseif, [email protected], 480-704-3786; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Coordinator Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, [email protected]
