The 64-page document, which maps out more than 100 executive branch actions, comes weeks before the inauguration of former President Donald Trump, who imposed a travel ban on people from some majority Muslim countries during his first term that Biden rescinded on his first day in office.

It mirrors a comprehensive strategy to fight antisemitism released by the White House in September 2023, and comes more than a year after death of six-year-old boy Wadea Al-Fayoume, stabbed by a man who targeted him and his mother because they were Palestinian-American.

In a foreword to the strategy, Biden called the attacks on the Chicago boy and his mother “heinous acts” and noted a spike in anti-Muslim and anti-Arab hate crimes, discrimination and bullying that he called wrong and unacceptable.

“Muslims and Arabs deserve to live with dignity and enjoy every right to the fullest extent along with all of their fellow Americans,” Biden wrote. “Policies that result in discrimination against entire communities are wrong and fail to keep us safe.”

The Council on American Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil rights group, called the strategy “too little, too late” and faulted the White House for not promising any changes to a federal watchlist and “no-fly” list that includes many Arab and Muslim Americans, and for failing to end the war in Gaza, which has been driving Islamophobia.

Jim Zogby, founder of the Arab American Institute, predicted the incoming Trump administration would disown the strategy, but welcomed the White House’s expansion to include anti-Arab hate instead of focusing solely on acts directed against Muslims.

The Trump transition team had no immediate comment on the strategy or whether it would support it.

Trump, who won support from some Muslim voters angry about Biden’s support for Israel’s war in Gaza, has said he will ban entry to the U.S. of anyone who questions Israel’s right to exist and revoke visas of foreign students who are “antisemitic.”

Tensions between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian groups surged on some U.S. campuses after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in Israel, with human rights advocates warning of rising antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-Arab hate.

Source: Reuters

A London police hate crime officer is investigating a hate-motivated assault that happened over the weekend in a downtown park.

At approximately, a man was with his family in Ivey Park, in the area of King and Thames streets, when an unknown man approached them, police said. The suspect made derogatory comments toward the man before proceeding to assault him.

In a social media post, the National Council of Canadian Muslims said it was “deeply horrified” to learn the victims were Muslim

“They’re shaken up,” said Nawaz Tahir, a London lawyer who serves as spokesperson for HIKMA Public Affairs Council, which has been in touch with a friend of the family. “Generally, when you go to the park your goal is to have a good time, and this just sort of shatters that.”

The Muslim community is seeing an increase in a compromise of its safety and security, said Tahir, through both verbal and physical forms of hate, despite the City of London’s comprehensive plan to dismantle Islamophobia.

“We’d like to see more action at the provincial and federal level,” he said. “On both fronts, I think the response has been lacking. There are still so many recommendations from the national summit that took place in 2021 that are yet to be implemented. Things like hate crime legislation and the Our London Family Act not have been passed or brought back at all.”

in June, police identified a suspect involved in an alleged hate-motivated arson at a Muslim family’s home in northwest London. It’s believed the suspect has since left the country.

On X, formerly Twitter, London Mayor Josh Morgan condemned Saturday’s incident.

“Islamophobia has absolutely no home in London or anywhere else,” said Morgan. “We must continue to condemn these incidents, and work to ensure everyone feels safe in our city.”

The suspect remained in the area for around 20 minutes before leaving the park on a blue bike-style e-bike. Police were contacted. The victim sustained minor injuries and did not require medical attention.

The suspect has not been identified. He is described as male, white, around 40 years of age, wearing a black toque, black jacket, dark jeans and light-coloured sneakers.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact them.

Source: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation