November 29, 2023
We were deeply shaken to hear of Saturday’s horrifying shooting in Vermont targeting three students of Palestinian descent — Hisham Awartani, Kinnan Abdalhamid and Tahseen Ahmed. This crime is a shattering example of increasing hate-filled attacks occurring in the U.S., fueled by anti-Palestinian sentiment, Islamophobia, and antisemitism.
The Arab-American Family Support Center condemns this disgraceful, violent act, rooted in hatred and racism. We call on state and federal authorities to conduct a swift and thorough investigation, treating this as a hate crime. We stand in solidarity, as we must all too often these days, with the family members of these three students and will continue to fight for the safety, protection, and equal rights of our Arab, Palestinian, and Muslim communities.
