The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) changed its plans for holding its 29th annual banquet at the Marriott Crystal Gateway in Arlington on Saturday after receiving multiple bomb and death threats.
The Muslim group suspected the threats to be related to the Israel-Hamas war.
CAIR Changes Location for 29th Annual Banquet
CAIR released a statement that they moved to another venue to hold its 29th annual banquet. The group did not disclose the new location with heightened security.
According to the Marriott Hotel, they received anonymous phone calls. The unknown caller threatened to plant bombs in the hotel's parking garage, kill hotel staff in their homes, and make a commotion in the hotel in a repeat of the January 6th attack on the US Capitol if the event continued.
CAIR reassured the group that the Arlington police and FBI are further investigating the threats. But emails seeking information from the FBI and the Marriott hotel chain were not immediately answered on Thursday night.
CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said they would not allow the threats of anti-Palestinian racists and anti-Muslim partisan who attempts to dehumanize the Palestinian people and silence American Muslims to stop them from pursuing justice.
"We strongly condemn the extreme and disgusting threats against our organization, the Marriott hotel, and its staff," Awad said.
CAIR also confirmed that a separate banquet planned for October 28 in Maryland was canceled and will be integrated with Saturday's event. The threats came after the CAIR announced that the banquet would focus on the human rights issues for Palestinians.
Muslim Group Urges Ceasefire in Gaza
The group has started an online campaign encouraging members of Congress to promote a ceasefire in Gaza. But on October 7, Hamas militants from the blockaded Gaza Strip continued to attack nearby Israeli towns, which corresponded with a significant Jewish holiday.
The attack killed hundreds of civilians, and Israel retaliated and launched airstrikes on Gaza. The strikes destroyed the entire neighborhood and resulted in many deaths of Palestinian civilians. Law enforcement officials said they are vigilant for violence driven by antisemitic or Islamophobic sentiments in the rise of the Hamas attack on Israel.
Jewish and Muslim groups have also reported increased hateful and threatening expressions on social media.
"We cannot and do not discount the possibility that Hamas or and other foreign terrorist organizations could exploit the conflict to call on their supporters to conduct attacks here on our own soil," FBI Director Christopher Wray said.
Furthermore, The Canadian Press reported that the war would stimulate violence in the US. The police tightened security in major cities, increased patrols, and authorities put up a barrier around the US Capitol, and some schools closed.
