(MIAMI, FL, 2/26/2025) — The Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-FL), the state’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the hate crime charges against Mordechai Brafman, a Miami Beach resident accused of shooting 17 times at a father and son he believed were Palestinians on February 15.
NBC Miami reported that Brafman is now facing hate crime-related charges, which carry a penalty of up to life in prison. The outlet also reported that while in the interview room with detectives, Brafman “spontaneously stated that while he was driving his truck, he saw two Palestinians and shot and killed both,” according to the police report.
SEE: Man accused of shooting men he thought were Palestinians charged with hate crime
In a statement, CAIR-FL Communications Director Wilfredo Amr Ruiz said:
“To date, we have not heard or read any statement from Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner or Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava assuring the safety and security of Palestinian and Arab residents and visitors.
“We find their silence appalling and an affront to their constituents, residents, and visitors—Muslims and Christians of Arab or Palestinian descent. Mayor Meiner and Mayor Levine Cava must publicly assure these communities and their families that they are safe on the streets of Miami Beach and throughout the county.”
Ruiz added that earlier this month, CAIR-FL called for the censure of Palm Bay City Councilman Chandler Langevin for his inflammatory and xenophobic anti-Muslim remarks, in which he claimed that Muslims “do not belong” in the United States.
Last year, CAIR-FL urged the Florida Legislature to censure state Rep. Randy Fine after he posted an anti-Muslim tweet celebrating the murder of Turkish-American human rights activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi and appeared to call for more killings.
Ruiz noted that from January to June 2024, CAIR documented 4,951 incoming bias complaints nationwide, a 69% increase over the same period in 2023.
Last year, CAIR’s national office released its 2024 civil rights report, which revealed the highest number of complaints in its 30-year history. Titled “Fatal: The Resurgence of Anti-Muslim Hate,” the report documented 8,061 complaints. Nearly half of all complaints received in 2023 were reported in the final three months of the year.
About CAIR-Florida:
CAIR-Florida is the state’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, foster dialogue, safeguard civil liberties for all, empower American Muslims, and form coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
La misión de CAIR-Florida es mejorar la comprensión del Islam, fomentar el diálogo, proteger las libertades civiles, capacitar a los musulmanes estadounidenses, y construir coaliciones que promuevan la justicia y la comprensión mutua.
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CONTACT: Wilfredo Amr Ruiz, CAIR-FL Communications Director, [email protected], (305) 502-6749
