Chicago Mayor ties Arab-owned stores to city’s rising gang violence

Arab business owners protest the closure of their stores by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot asserting it is driven by racism and misguided effort to respond to rising street gang violence in the city. The mayor believes that gas stations and grocery stores that are open 24 hours a day are magnets for gangbangers. Chicago’s murder rate is one of the highest in decades and around the country. Video below of press conference

By Ray Hanania

Listen to Ray Hanania talk about the story on WVON 1690 Radio with Host Perri Small using this embed link:

Alderman Raymond Lopez said on Monday that city council members are reviewing allegations made by more than 50 Arab American and Muslim small-business owners against Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the city’s business inspection department.

At a press conference held at an Arab-owned business closed by the city for more than 52 days at 79th and Western on Chicago’s Southwest Side, Arab and Muslim business operators claimed that the city was intentionally seeking to shut down their businesses.

Arab store owners said that they believe Lightfoot is motivated in part by racism against Arabs and Muslims, but is also closing the stores in the mistaken belief that it might reduce the city’s skyrocketing street gang murder rate.

“Today I joined nearly two dozen business owners who feel they have been unfairly targeted by racist tactics supposedly focused on reducing gang violence in Chicago,” Lopez, the alderman of the 15th ward, told the gathering of 25 Arab and Muslim store owners.

“Sadly, two days after mayor Lightfoot declared that 9/11 gave rise to much anti-Arab hatred in America, she herself, in declaring war on gang terrorists, is also targeting Arab business owners in mostly African-American communities.”

American Arab Chamber of Commerce President Hassan Nijem is joined by Chicago Ald. Raymond Lopez and 25 Arab American business owners who say Mayor Lori Lightfoot is wrongly closing their businesses. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania

He added: “Lightfoot is once again showing she does not understand how to address violence in a nuanced manner, instead choosing blanket policies that target entire demographics and play on local stereotypes.”

Last weekend, Chicago saw 56 shootings and eight fatalities. On the previous Labor Day weekend, 75 people were shot and eight killed, including one police officer. As of Sept. 1, 2021, Chicago police reported 524 gun-related deaths and 2,344 shootings.

Three Arab businessmen share their stories about being harassed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Special task Force that is targeting Arab Owned stores for closure int he cityClick here to read the full news story from Ray Hanania at ArabNews.com.

Store owner SHiehdah AbuKhalil speaks at a press conference organized by the American Arab Chamber of Commerce President Hassan Nijem and joined by Chicago Ald. Raymond Lopez and 25 Arab American business owners who say Mayor Lori Lightfoot is wrongly closing their businesses. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania

News media coverage at a press conference organized by the American Arab Chamber of Commerce President Hassan Nijem and joined by Chicago Ald. Raymond Lopez and 25 Arab American business owners who say Mayor Lori Lightfoot is wrongly closing their businesses. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania

Ayser Shaban speaks at a press conference organized by the American Arab Chamber of Commerce President Hassan Nijem and joined by Chicago Ald. Raymond Lopez and 25 Arab American business owners who say Mayor Lori Lightfoot is wrongly closing their businesses. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania

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rayhanania

Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster at The Arab Daily News

Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

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