Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot targets Arab Stores in racist crackdown
Statement from American Arab Chamber President Hassan Nijem on May 6, 2021 in defense of Arab owned Gas Station/Grocery store ordered closed for no reason other than racism by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot
My name is Hassan Nijem … I am the president of the American Arab Chamber of Commerce
The American Arab Chamber of Commerce is here today because the owner of this store, Ahmad Mohsin, asked us to help him.
Over the past year we have seen the city of Chicago and Mayor Lori Lightfoot target and punish Arab American and Muslim owned businesses in the city because of the rising crime problems.
Last summer, more than 150 stores were closed, mostly Arab and Muslim owned.
Closure notice on store at 3759 W. Chicago Avenue in Chicago closed May 3, 2021 for no reason
We are seeing this restart as Mayor Lightfoot tries to confront the crime problem.
Our store owners are not the cause of the crime problem. We are being unfairly targeted simply because we own businesses where these crimes happen. But they happen everywhere and all the time.
We are demanding that the city STOP Closing our stores.
We are demanding that Mayor Lightfoot show respect to Arab and Muslim store owners who are law-abiding citizens who pay their taxes.
Chicago news media at Arab Chamber Press Conference at store at 3759 W. Chicago Avenue in Chicago closed May 3, 2021 for no reason
Stop treating Arab and Muslim store owners like they are criminals.
On Monday, May 9 at 11 am, several Chicago Aldermen will hold a Public Forum to address Mayor Lightfoot’s abuse of the Arab and Muslim business community. It will be held at the Islamic Community Center at 6435 W. Belmont Avenue where many Arab store owners will share their experiences as victims of Mayor Lightfoot’s misguided and discriminatory actions.
Store owner Ahmad Mohsin, Chamber President Hassan Nijem, and Chamber board member Maher Khattib tell news media about new wave of racist closures ordered by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot
