A Muslim woman who is running to become the mayor of a city in Minnesota has complained to police after someone left an Islamophobic death threat on her website.
Regina Mustafa is among a number of people seeking to become mayor of Rochester, 100 miles south-west of Minneapolis. She said that someone posting as “Militia Movement” wrote on her website: “EXECUTE all muslims in America.”
“I have no way of knowing if the person is nearby or across the country,” Ms Mustafa told local media. “These threats do have to be taken seriously.”
She added: “It was more of a general threat to all Muslims in America, but since this person did take the time to search me out and leave this comment, I took it as a specific threat.”
She told the Post-Bulletin the threatening words were left on a Google Plus posting she made last summer that included a photograph of her speaking at Peace Plaza in Rochester. She said she had reported it to the Rochester Police Department.
The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) also asked police to investigate. “We urge state and federal law enforcement authorities to investigate this implicit threat of violence targeting a member of a minority community seeking to take part in our nation’s political process,” said CAIR-MN Executive Director Jaylani Hussein.
He said his organisation had witnessed an unprecedented spike in hate incidents targeting American Muslims and members of other minority groups since the election of Donald Trump as President.
Local media said Ms Mustafa, who wears a hijab, said she largely felt welcome in the city despite occasional confrontations with strangers. She said she has had people shout at her from passing cars and on one occasion a man approached her as she sat in a coffee shop with her daughter and said to her “go home”.
She said she was also subjected to threats after announcing a bid for Congress last year.
Rochester police did not immediately respond to enquiries.
