Incident and Arrest
A Kentucky man, Melvin P. Litteral III, has been arrested and charged with a federal hate crime for threatening a Palestinian American man with a loaded gun. The U.S. Justice Department announced the charges on Monday, a move welcomed by advocates who have been documenting rising Islamophobia.
Details of the Incident
The Justice Department reported that the incident occurred at the end of March but provided limited additional details. The victim, identified only by the initials O.S., was targeted because of his race, color, religion, and national origin while at a local restaurant. The indictment against Litteral also includes a weapons charge.
Rising Islamophobia and Advocacy Response
Human rights advocates have noted an increase in Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian bias, and antisemitism in the U.S., particularly following the start of Israel’s war in Gaza. This conflict has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and a severe humanitarian crisis.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) praised the indictment. CAIR reports that complaints of anti-Muslim incidents in the U.S. reached 8,061 in 2023, the highest number since the organization began keeping records nearly 30 years ago.
Statement from the Justice Department
“Melvin P. Litteral III used force or the threat of force to intimidate and interfere with the victim – a Palestinian American man and practicing Muslim identified in the indictment by the initials O.S. – because of O.S.’s race, color, religion and/or national origin, and because O.S. was enjoying the goods, services, and facilities of a local restaurant,” the Justice Department stated.
