Atlanta, GA, March 16, 2019 — Yesterday in Christchurch, New Zealand, at least 49 of our Muslim brothers and sisters were killed while worshipping by a white supremacist in a terrorist attack and many more were injured.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice, an affiliation of five civil rights organizations, issues the following statement:

"The attacks in New Zealand confirm that white nationalism is a threat that the world can no longer ignore. Hatred of immigrants and Islamophobia are global phenomena, yet every attack continues to be personal for all of the communities that we serve.

People of Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim and South Asian descent are no strangers to the violent scapegoating of minority communities, including physical attacks and killings post-9/11 and in an era of rising white nationalism. The Trump Administration shamefully perpetuates a narrative of fear through policies like the Muslim Ban and in the surveillance of mosques and Muslim communities. This fear-mongering has direct consequences for the lives of our people as we saw today in Christchurch.

Our hearts go out to the victims of the New Zealand mosque attacks and their families. We stand in solidarity with Muslim communities everywhere and pledge to fight for a world guided by values of love, dignity, and inclusion."

Contacts: James Woo, (404) 585-8446, jwoo@advancingjustice-atlanta.org
Michelle Boykins 202-296-2300, ext. 0144 mboykins@advancingjustice-aajc.org
Jessica Jinn, (213) 241-8817, jjinn@advancingjustice-la.org
Brandon Lee, (773) 271-0899 x200, blee@advancingjustice-chicago.org
Christina So, (415) 848-7728, christinaso@advancingjustice-alc.org

Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of five leading organizations advocating for the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and other underserved communities to promote a fair and equitable society for all. The affiliation's members are: Advancing Justice - AAJC (Washington, D.C.), Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus (San Francisco), Advancing Justice - Los Angeles, Advancing Justice - Atlanta, and Advancing Justice - Chicago.