CAIR-NY Condemns Islamophobic Attack on Iranian-Palestinian Couple in New York Subway

In a viral video posted by Ariana Jasmine, a woman—who identified herself as Jewish and a supporter of Donald Trump—can be seen verbally harassing Jasmine and her companion, Yousef, calling them “terrorists” and mocking Yousef’s Palestinian keffiyeh as a “terrorist towel.”
The woman also denied the existence of Palestine and continued her tirade even after distancing herself from the couple.
In response, Afaf Nasher, Executive Director of CAIR-NY, issued a statement saying: “This hateful incident underscores the persistent threat of Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian bigotry in our city.”
She added, “No New Yorker should ever feel unsafe or devalued because of their faith, ethnicity, or cultural identity.”
Nasher urged city officials and law enforcement to take the incident seriously and implement educational and community-based initiatives to promote mutual understanding and prevent division.
The video has since garnered over two million views on Instagram, sparking widespread outrage. Many users—particularly Muslim New Yorkers—shared similar experiences of harassment, especially when wearing culturally significant attire like the Palestinian keffiyeh.
One commenter noted that the same woman had previously harassed another subway passenger in a similar incident.
CAIR-NY reiterated its call for stronger protections against hate crimes and emphasized the need for public solidarity in confronting bigotry in all its forms.