Ilhan Omar reveals Islamophobic death threat that followed Boebert video
Ilhan Omar reveals Islamophobic death threat that followed Boebert video
The US Representative called on the Republican party to 'confront anti-muslim hatred in its ranks' following a death threat she received.
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Ilhan Omar said she received the death threat after Republican Representative Lauren Boebert posted a video to Twitter suggesting Omar sympathises with terrorists [Getty]
Muslim-American Congresswoman Ilhan Omar aired a death threat she received and pressed for the Republican party to take action on Islamophobia during a press conference at the US House of Representatives.
The Democratic representative for Minnesota, who says Islamophobic attacks against her increase as Republican politicians engage in Islamophobia, called on the party to "confront anti-Muslim hatred in its ranks and hold those who perpetuate it accountable".
Omar - the first Somali-American elected to Congress - said she received the death threat after Republican Representative Lauren Boebert posted a video to Twitter suggesting Omar sympathises with terrorists and called the Democrat a member of a "jihad squad" during a House of Representatives debate.
“We cannot pretend that this hate speech from leading politicians doesn’t have real consequences, the truth is anti-Muslim hate is on the rise both here at home and around the world,” Omar said during the press conference.
“It was never an option for me to take off my hijab to run. Because I know that when we proudly stand up for our values—when we celebrate the diversity of this country, and the freedoms enshrined in our Constitution, others stand with us.”
— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) December 1, 2021
Rep. Omar’s remarks: pic.twitter.com/SeY0WV3CgN
"Islamophobia pervades our culture... the most pervasive is the constant suggestion that all Muslims are terrorists," Omar added, saying Boebert's remarks were not just an attack on her "but on millions of American Muslims".
Omar, who led the conference alongside fellow US representatives André Carson and Rashida Tlaib, played the death threat, which she received by voice-mail.
“Don’t worry there’s plenty that would love the opportunity to take you off the face of the f*****g earth… you jihadist, you will not live much longer b***h, I can almost guarantee you that,” the voicemail played.
This comes after Boebert apologised to "anyone in the Muslim community I offended" after making the remarks about Omar.
However, some called her apology as being insincere, as Boebert stated that her comments had become an "unnecessary distraction" from policy differences.
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