Report reveals latest anti-Muslim incidents in New Jersey

NEWARK, United States (MNTV) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations in New Jersey (CAIR-NJ) has released an updated report documenting “Islamophobia” and “anti-Muslim hate” incidents in the Garden State.

CAIR-NJ announced the results of its 2025 Civil Rights Report at a press conference held outside the Statehouse in Trenton on Monday.

Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said, “As a global community, we must reject and eradicate bigotry in all its forms.”

“Governments must foster social cohesion and protect religious freedom,” Maksut urged state and federal officials.

CAIR-NJ reported there has been a significant “surge of bias” against Muslim Americans in the wake of Hamas’ attack on Israel in October 2023, which the organization said was even greater than the spike in anti-Muslim incidents that followed the September 11, 2001 attacks.

“This surge faced by Muslims was largely tied to the unconstitutional crackdown of dissenting opinions and the dehumanization of Palestinians and Muslims,” said Dyaa Terpstra, the author of this year’s report.

“Public officials at all levels of government, corporate leaders, and school and university administration, must respect free speech and the value of human life,” Terpstra emphasized.

The Anti-Defamation League has pointed out that antisemitic incidents have also been rising sharply for Jewish residents of New Jersey in the wake of the October 7 attack, with the cities and towns of Teaneck, Englewood, Paterson, Clifton, Montclair, West Orange, and South Orange among those that have experienced some of the “most concerning antisemitic activity in the region in this period,” according to the organization’s tracking data.