San Diego City Council Adopts Islamophobia Definition

The city's adoption of an official Islamophobia definition establishes a formal municipal standard for identifying hate against Muslims, following a shooting that killed three men at the Islamic Center of San Diego.

• •The San Diego City Council unanimously adopted a working definition of Islamophobia.
• •The action follows a shooting months prior where two teenagers killed three men at the Islamic Center of San Diego.
• •The victims of the shooting were mosque security guard Amin Abdullah (51) and congregation members Nadir Awad (57) and Mansour Kaziha (78).
• •The definition describes Islamophobia as a form of racism, prejudice, discrimination, hostility, or hatred directed toward Muslims or those perceived to be Muslim, or their property.
• •The definition was proposed by Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera and Council President Joe LaCava as an educational tool to help the city identify, condemn, and combat anti-Muslim hate.
• •A survey by the U.S. Immigration Policy Center at UC San Diego after the May attacks found that 88% of surveyed Muslims in San Diego County reported feeling less safe in their community.
• •The survey also found 74% of surveyed Muslims reported increased concern for personal safety, and nearly half expressed concern that threats against Muslims are not taken seriously.
• •Earlier this year, the council adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of Antisemitism.
• •Community activist Tasha Williams called for San Diego to use city resources to create an active shooter alert network, an idea supported by Elo-Rivera and LaCava.