by Anthony Gockowski
A Minnesota state senator recently headlined the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ (CAIR) annual banquet alongside Lindsa Sarsour, a controversial political activist with a history of making comments that many view as anti-Semitic.
State Sen. Zaynab Mohamed, DFL-Minneapolis, posted a picture to X, formerly Twitter, of her posing with Sarsour at the Virginia-based event. The Oct. 21 banquet was originally scheduled to take place at the Marriott Crystal Gateway in Arlington, Va., but was moved to a different location because of “significant risks to the safety of event attendees,” the Washington Free Beacon reported.
“StopAntisemitism is disappointed to see Marriott Arlington hosting an event featuring the passionately antisemitic Linda Sarsour,” Liora Rez, the executive director of StopAntisemitism.org, told the Washington Free Beacon before the event was moved. “A fan of Louis Farrakhan, Sarsour has stood in solidarity with convicted terrorist Rasmea Odeh, posed for photos with Hamas operatives, and believes ‘nothing is creepier than Zionism.’ Does she fit with your core value of ’embracing differences,’ Marriott?”
StopAntisemitism.org has documented many of Sarsour’s past controversies, including her appearance at a 2015 rally organized by Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam and one of the country’s most notorious anti-Semites.
“Scheduled speakers at the event include Mayor Mohamed Khairullah of Prospect Park, New Jersey, activist Linda Sarsour, MN State Senator Zaynab Mohamed, and activist and former NBA player Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf,” CAIR explained in a press release about its annual banquet.
Sarsour was a founding board member of the Women’s March but stepped down from her position amid allegations that she and other group leaders “allowed anti-Semitism” to flourish within the organization.
Sarsour has also criticized progressives who “always choose their allegiance to Israel over their commitment to democracy and free speech.”
“Accusing Jews of dual loyalty is one of the oldest and most pernicious antisemitic tropes,” the American Jewish Committee said in response.
Sarsour notoriously said in 2011 that she wanted to “take their vaginas away,” referring to activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a victim of female genital mutilation, and another woman.
CAIR itself has faced criticism for its response to Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel, with its executive director saying, “You must condemn the occupier not the occupied.”
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Anthony Gockowski is Editor-in-Chief of Alpha News. He previously worked as an editor for The Minnesota Sun and Campus Reform, and reported for The Daily Caller.
