The Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Florida), the state’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, called on Monday for federal hate crime charges following the arrest of a suspect who allegedly opened fire on a vehicle in Miami Beach after he reportedly saw what he thought were “two Palestinians”.

Mordechai Brafman, 27, was charged with two counts of attempted murder after reportedly making a U-turn to stop in front of their vehicle and shooting “17 times, unprovoked, striking both victims.” Police say that while he was in custody, Brafman said that “he saw two Palestinians and shot and killed both.” One of the victims was shot in the shoulder, while the other’s arm was grazed by a bullet.

“We urge state and federal law enforcement authorities to bring hate crime charges in this case based on the alleged perpetrator’s statements to police that reportedly indicate an anti-Palestinian motive. It is the alleged shooter’s reportedly bias-motivated actions, not the actual ethnicity of the victims, that should be the determining factor for charges in this disturbing case.”

He 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” to the United States.

Last year, CAIR-FL called for 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 killing.

Ruiz noted that from January to June 2024, CAIR documented 4,951 incoming bias complaints nationwide, a 69 percent 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 it has ever received 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.