(NEW YORK, NY, 05\/15\/2026) –\u00a0The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and its New York chapter (CAIR-NY) today\u00a0welcomed the\u00a0arrest\u00a0of an individual accused of threatening four Muslim men with a knife\u00a0as they exited an\u00a0Applebee’s location in Brooklyn Sunday night and called for a full hate crime investigation into the incident.\u00a0<\/p>\n
According to the victims, the incident occurred at approximately 10:30 p.m. on May 18 after they finished dining at the restaurant\u00a0located\u00a0at 2505 Emmons Avenue in Brooklyn. As the group exited the establishment, they noticed a man seated near the exit staring aggressively in their direction. One member of the group recognized the individual from prior protest-related encounters\u00a0during which the man was allegedly seen wearing an Israeli flag and yelling racist\u00a0statements including, \u201cI hate black people.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Moments later, the man allegedly shouted at the group to \u201ccome back inside,\u201d followed them toward the entrance, and then brandished a knife near the doorway.\u00a0A member of the group began recording the incident on his phone, at which point the suspect allegedly concealed the weapon and returned inside the restaurant. The victims then contacted the police and remained at the scene until officers arrived.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Police\u00a0reportedly\u00a0recovered\u00a0a knife from the suspect\u2019s possession, placed the individual in handcuffs, and escorted him into a police vehicle.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The victims were informed that prosecutors are currently pursuing charges including menacing, harassment, and an order of protection.\u00a0Currently, there has been no mention of hate crime charges.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In a statement, CAIR-NY Executive Director Afaf Nasher said:\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe welcome the\u00a0arrest\u00a0made in this alarming incident and commend the victims\u00a0for remaining\u00a0calm, documenting the encounter, and\u00a0immediately\u00a0contacting law enforcement. The fact that the suspect was allegedly previously\u00a0observed\u00a0making racist remarks at anti-Palestinian protests raises\u00a0additional\u00a0concerns about possible bias-motivated violence. Brandishing a knife\u00a0menacingly\u00a0is a serious threat to public safety, and authorities must thoroughly investigate whether bias played a role in this\u00a0disturbing\u00a0encounter.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
CAIR-NY is urging law enforcement authorities to investigate the incident as a\u00a0possible hate\u00a0crime and to take all\u00a0appropriate steps\u00a0to ensure the safety of the impacted individuals and the broader community.\u00a0<\/p>\n
CAIR-NY’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims. \u00a0<\/p>\n
La misi\u00f3n de CAIR-NY es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensi\u00f3n del\u00a0Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Subscribe to CAIR-NY’s Email List\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n You can help contribute to CAIR\u2019s work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR\u2019s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal.\u00a0Click here to donate to CAIR.<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n END\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n CONTACT\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Afaf Nasher, Esq. CAIR-NY Executive Director,\u00a0ANasher@cair.com<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n