Washington, D.C. | The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) welcomes the guilty verdict on charges of first-degree murder and hate crimes against Joseph Czuba, who murdered six-year-old Palestinian American child, Wadee Al-Fayoumi, and attempted to kill his mother, Ms. Hanan Shaheen. We thank the jury, the judge, and all who helped achieve this measure of justice. This hateful and racist crime demanded a decisive response, and the verdict sends a strong message: hate-driven violence against Palestinians, Arabs, and Muslims will not stand.
ADC National Executive Director, Abed Ayoub, said:
“Today’s verdict delivers a measure of justice for Wadee AlFayoumi’s family and sends a clear message that hate-fueled violence has no place here. We will never accept nor forget that a six-year-old child lost his life because of dangerous anti-Palestinian rhetoric. We thank the jury, the judge, and everyone who worked to hold Joseph Czuba accountable. While this verdict cannot bring Wadee back, we hope it offers some solace to his mother and loved ones. We must prevent other families from enduring similar loss, and we call on all communities to unite against the false narratives that fuel hate crimes.”
ADC thanks the Chicago Area Arab and Muslim community, including our partners at CAIR-Chicago for their efforts around this case. We also thank Attorney Ben Crump, of the Ben Crump Law Firm, and John Simon of The Simon Law Firm for serving as co-counsel alongside ADC in representing Ms. Shaheen in her civil suit. Because of these collective efforts justice was delivered today.
ADC warns that the surge of anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab, and anti-Muslim rhetoric will lead to more hate crimes targeting the respective communities. Misinformation and hateful propaganda against Arabs and Muslims continues to create an environment that fuels these attacks. We hold agitators accountable for promoting false narratives about Palestinians and stoking such hostility.
If you or someone you know has faced a hate crime, reach out to us at [email protected]. We will continue to defend our community and fight all forms of hatred.