(New York, NY. 05/27/2020) – Majlis Ash-Shura: Islamic Leadership Council of New York strongly condemns the reprehensible murder of George Floyd at the hands of four police officers. The scourge of police brutality has taken another innocent black man’s life once again in Minneapolis, demonstrating the failures of law enforcement in protecting the people. Right before Floyd’s death, he repeatedly uttered the words, “I can’t breath,” all too reminiscient of Eric Garner’s murder in New York City back in 2014.
Floyd’s murder is a reminder for the nation that systemic racism against African Americans is alive and deeply rooted in this country. The consistent lack of accountability for police brutality permits these otherwise completely avoidable incidents to keep occurring. The officers involved in this event should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of criminal law on charges of murder so that the family of George Floyd can attain some justice.
As Muslims, it is our obligation to stand on the side of justice for the oppressed and marginalized. We must continue to enjoin the good and forbid the evil wherever we see it. Majlis Ash-Shura of New York, an umbrella organization of over 90 mosques and Muslim-led organizations, is urging all vulnerable communities to take precautions and calling upon all communities to work in solidarity with one another to fight against injustice.