CAIR-NY Condemns Harassment of Muslim Minors Outside Albany Mosque
(NEW YORK, NY, 9/8/26) - The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY), a chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned the reported harassment of Muslim minors outside a mosque in Albany, New York, after a video circulating online appeared to show a woman directing racist, anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant remarks toward Muslim community members, including a 15-year-old boy and his sisters.
SEE: Video of the incident shared on X
According to the individual who posted the video, the woman had been harassing the teenagers outside the mosque, referring to them as “dirty brown-skinned Muslims” and telling them to “go back to [their] country.” During the recorded confrontation, the woman is also heard repeatedly telling those present, “If you don’t like Donald Trump, get out,” and asserting that America is a “Christian country.”
In a statement, CAIR-NY Executive Director Afaf Nasher, Esq., said:
“There is absolutely nothing patriotic, Christian, or American about targeting children because of their race or faith. Muslim children should be able to enter and leave their houses of worship without being subjected to racist harassment, told they do not belong, or made to feel unsafe because of who they are. No political slogan or religious claim gives anyone the right to intimidate or demean another person.”
CAIR-NY is calling on law enforcement to conduct an appropriate investigation into the alleged harassment. The organization also urges anyone who witnessed the incident or has additional information to come forward.
CAIR-NY also reminds members of the Muslim community that harassment, threats, discrimination, and other acts targeting individuals because of their faith may constitute violations of civil rights or other laws. Anyone who believes they have been targeted because of their Muslim identity is encouraged to report the incident to CAIR-NY.
CAIR’s latest civil rights report documented 8,683 anti-Muslim bias complaints in 2025 – the highest number ever recorded by the organization since it began publishing civil rights reports in 1996.
CAIR-NY’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR-NY es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT:
Afaf Nasher, Esq. CAIR-NY Executive Director, ANasher@cair.com
CAIR-NY Communications Team, comms@ny.cair.com