Pakistan-born US lawmaker Rep. Maryam Khan of Connecticut was subjected to an assault following her attendance at Eidul Azha prayers within the state’s capital metropolis of Hartford, American media shops reported on Saturday.
In accordance with The New York Occasions, regulation enforcement officers have apprehended a suspect in reference to the assault, which occurred on Wednesday and resulted in minor accidents for Maryam, who’s each the primary Muslim elected to the Connecticut Home of Representatives and a member of the Democratic Get together.
The report said that the suspect, recognized as Andrey Desmond, aged 30 and hailing from New Britain, Connecticut, was formally charged in state court docket on Thursday.
He faces costs together with illegal restraint, assault, breach of peace, and interfering with the police.
Desmond is being held on a $250,000 bond. The motive behind the assault has but to be confirmed by the authorities.
As reported by The New York Occasions, citing data from the police, the assault came about round 11am exterior the XL Centre, the place the congregational prayers have been held.
In accordance with regulation enforcement officers, the suspect approached Maryam whereas she was taking images along with her household exterior the centre.
He made inappropriate feedback after which tried to stop her from leaving earlier than bodily assaulting her.
NBC Information additionally reported on the incident, stating {that a} bystander chased the suspect and detained him till the police arrived.
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A number of people, together with Connecticut Home Speaker Matt Ritter and Majority Chief Jason Rojas, have condemned the assault.
In a joint assertion, they expressed their assist for Maryam and her household, emphasising that the incident occurred on a day of peace and prayer.
Ritter, who had been in touch with Maryam for the reason that assault, described it as a really horrifying expertise for her.
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont additionally issued a press release, expressing his concern that such an incident came about on a holy day meant for peaceable prayers.
He assured the general public that regulation enforcement personnel would conduct a radical investigation into the matter.
Farhan Memon, the pinnacle of the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Connecticut chapter, referred to as on regulation enforcement companies to research the potential of a bias motive behind the assault.
Memon highlighted the necessity to guarantee the security of the Muslim neighborhood in Connecticut, significantly in the course of the ongoing Eidul Azha celebrations.
He emphasised that American Muslims, or these perceived to be Muslim, have been typically focused by hate crimes as a result of their look, race, or ethnicity.