Washington, D.C. | www.mpac.org | August 29, 2023 — This week, the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) participated in a briefing hosted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) regarding the tragic attack on the African American community by a white supremacist in Jacksonville, Florida. The attack coincided with the 60th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic March on Washington in 1963.
During the briefing, organized in collaboration with the U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), MPAC and our civil rights partners were informed of ongoing security concerns facing our communities in light of the increased and violent threats posed by white supremacists in America.
According to the FBI, the Jacksonville attack is being investigated as a domestic terror threat. The government acknowledged the growing transnational ideology of violence and hatred known as the “Great Replacement Theory” that is rapidly spreading within white supremacy groups.
The Great Replacement Theory suggests that white people are being replaced by immigrants, Muslims, and other people of color. The theory is widely adopted by white supremacist groups across the world and instigates acts of violence toward non-white and non-Christian communities, including Jews, Blacks, Hispanics, Muslims, and other minorities.
According to the FBI, this hateful ideology was adopted by the attackers in Jacksonville, as well as the Christ Church attack in New Zealand, and other attacks across the U.S. Law enforcement agencies asserted that the threat of white supremacy is a transnational terror movement.
As we move forward to combat the rise of white supremacy in the United States and abroad, MPAC urges minority communities to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity with mosque leadership. MPAC stands willing to assist those threatened by white supremacist ideology that are concerned regarding their security structures, methods, or apparatus within their organization.
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