Muslims living in Bensonhurst’s diverse Shore Haven apartment complex seem to have some rather lousy neighbors. Residents of the 1,343-unit development came across fliers telling Muslims to leave the country, and informing them that they are “terrorists and bastards.” The fliers, written in all caps, underlined, and making heavy use of exclamation points, also accused Muslims of being the “second Holocaust” and featured the image of a woman in a full face veil with a strike through it. Apparently some people think that’s how you wish others a happy Eid.
There are 32 buildings in the Shore Haven complex, and these fliers were reportedly found in at least three of them. And for some residents, it’s not an easy thing to just brush off. “It makes me feel bad,” Youssry Elraey told CBS News. “I’m a Muslim anyway. And it makes me feel bad, especially when I didn’t do anything wrong. I didn’t hurt nobody, and ‘Muslim’ means ‘peace.’”
Councilmember Mark Treyger, in whose district the incident occurred, spoke out against the fliers, saying, “A hate crime against one group is a hate crime against us all, so we’re going to actually double down on uniting as one neighborhood to reject this act of hatred and intolerance.” Mayor Bill de Blasio, newly back from his Italian vacation, called the leaflets a “stain on our collective conscience.”
The fliers have been reported to the NYPD’s hate crimes unit, which is on the case.
