Muslim businesses targeted in Chicago in a massive PR move to keep the Chicago Bears from moving, by Mayor Lightfoot.
Chicago continues to be overwhelmed by gun violence and homicides. It is one of the many cities in America that has a dark underbelly of organised crime. It has seen a 65% Increase in shootings in Chicago from 2019-2021.
The administration of Mayor Lori Lightfoot has begun to adopt a strategy designed to make the US city a safer place to keep the Chicago Bears from leaving town.
However, Muslim-owned businesses say they are paying the price — and no one is reaping the rewards.
In June 2021, Lightfoot unleashed a task force that Muslim-American business owners say targeted their stores specifically, operating overnight in the city in areas where the crime was at its worst.
Alderman Raymond Lopez said targeting Muslim-owned stores was “ineffective in reducing crime” and “morally wrong.”
People hold signs during an anti-gun violence march in Chicago on Dec. 31, 2020
Muslim businesses targeted in Chicago
Between June and September of 2021, the task force shuttered more than 150 small businesses owned by Muslim Americans, according to the American Arab Chamber of Commerce.
Aggrieved store owners finally took action via the AACC, bringing the actions of the task force to the public’s attention at a press conference on Sept. 8, 2021.
The press conference was supported by the man who is planning to challenge Lightfoot for her job next year: Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez.
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Muslim-American business suffer
Around 25 store owners attended, all but one preferring to remain anonymous, fearing reprisals from the city.
“We’d received many complaints from businesses that they were being shut down by the city for no real reason. The pattern didn’t emerge until August, as more and more stores started complaining,” AACC President Hassan Nijem said to US News.
“We protested to the city, but only a few aldermen listened and responded, like Alderman Raymond Lopez. But it was as if no one wanted to recognize our problem.
“We were an easy target the mayor could use to make it look like she was doing something about gang violence when she wasn’t.”
Following the press conference that highlighted Muslim businesses targeted in Chicago, The mayor reopened all the stores.
However, She refused to meet with the AACC or the store owners and said claims of racism were “false” and the stores were engaged in code violations.
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Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot unveiled plans for Soldier Field that could cost up to $2.2 billion as part of her ongoing campaign to keep the Bears from skipping town for Arlington Heights or at least deflect blame if the venerable sports team leaves.
