Emgage Condemns the Violence at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 27, 2018

Washington, D.C. – Emgage is deeply saddened by the mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Authorities apprehended the gunman Robert Bowers, who according to witnesses, shouted anti-semitic slurs before opening fire on congregants. Officials have stated that this will be treated as a federal hate crime and will be investigated by the FBI.

We are witnessing an alarming increase in hate crimes as well as frequent mass shootings across the country. Although Congress recently passed S. 994 (Protecting Religiously Affiliated Institutions Act of 2018) to combat rising hate crimes, more needs to be done to protect religious and ethnic minorities and to curb access to the type of weapons that are used in mass-casualty attacks.

Emgage stands with the Jewish community during this terrible time. No person, regardless of their religious affiliation, should ever be afraid to openly practice their faith. We denounce anti-semitism in all of its forms and extend our condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims. This attack is an attack on all of us. We renew our pledge to combat the type of intolerance that led to today’s tragedy and call for common sense gun legislation to help prevent similar attacks in the future.

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For more information, contact Iman Awad @ iawad@emgageaction.org or call 202-747-6480

Emgage educates and empowers Muslim Americans through educational events, voter initiatives, and leadership development for the purpose of creating a community of knowledgeable, motivated, and impactful citizens. Emgage seeks to transform the Muslim American electorate into an active and impactful community.