“An attack against one group is an attack against us all.” – City Councilman Mark Treyger
When walking through the streets of Bensonhurst, one can easily see the influence of the many immigrant groups that settled there. A quick stroll from 18th Avenue to 13th Avenue reveals the multi-ethnic community present in the neighborhood, but even in a place as diverse as Bensonhurst, Muslims have faced a lot of prejudice and hatred.
The attacks of 9/11 on the Twin Towers drastically changed the lives of Muslims living in America, especially in New York. The terror attack marked a new era of anti-Islamic sentiment and bigotry. In July 2014, Bensonhurst Muslims were attacked in flyers posted in the Shore Haven apartment complex in Bensonhurst. The flyers read, ““ISLAMISTS! GO TO YOUR COUNTRY!!! USA HATES YOU!!! YOU ARE TERRORISTS AND BASTARDS!!!”. These hateful words brought out different reactions from Muslims living in the complex and in the neighborhood. Many felt deeply saddened and unsafe in the complex. Samr Samy, a resident of the building, said, ““I’m afraid, because I am Muslim.” Other Muslims had more optimistic reactions. Boutahar Ebdelfatah chose to not give power to the hateful, saying, “This is not the president or the country that said that. It is part of the country. And I have to ignore those people.”.
City Councilman Mark Treyger made a statement following the incident of the flyers to unite the people in the community and to show Muslims that this type of hatred will not be tolerated. “This is a hate crime not just against Muslims, but against everyone in our community,” he said. “An attack against one group is an attack against us all.”
