CAIR-Cleveland Seeks Hate Crime Probe After Vehicular Assault on Palestinian-American by Driver Shouting ‘Kill all Palestinians,’ ‘Long live Israel’(CLEVELAND, OH, 10/23/23) – The Cleveland chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Cleveland) today called on state and federal law enforcement authorities to investigate an alleged vehicular assault on a Palestinian-American man as a hate crime.On Sunday afternoon,an individual in a dark SUV reportedly hit the 20-year-old victim while he was walking on Cook Road on the border of Olmsted Falls and North Ridgeville.The victim of the reported hit and run said he was walking home from eating lunch when a car slowed down and rolled down the window. The driver of the car allegedly started yelling at him using anti-Palestinian statements like “Kill all Palestinians,” “Long live Israel,” as he swerved his car to intimidate the victim. The driver then allegedly turned around and hit the man while shouting “DIE!”He was transferred by EMS to St. John Westshore Hospital for his injuries.
A North Olmsted man is facing multiple misdemeanor charges after police say he faked an alleged hate crime attack near North Ridgeville last month.According to investigators, 20-year-old Hesham A. Ayyad was originally taken to the hospital on Oct. 22 after telling officers he had been hit by a car in an incident that was "racially motivated." He claimed the collision took place on Cook Road in Olmsted Township, and North Ridgeville detectives subsequently began looking into the case.An article posted the next day by the Council on American-Islamic Relations' Cleveland branch shed more light on Ayyad's version of events. Per the organization, Ayyad claimed he was waking home from lunch when a vehicle approached and the driver rolled his window down. Ayyad reported hearing the driver say things like "Kill all Palestinians" and "Long live Israel" before swerving his car and hitting Ayyad, driving away while screaming, "DIE!"However, as North Ridgeville police continued to investigate and view surveillance video from the day of the alleged crime, they eventually determined Ayyad had made the whole thing up. A release from the department insists Ayyad not only wasn't struck by a vehicle nor subjected to racial slurs, but that he was actually injured during an earlier fight with his brother, 19-year-old Khalil A. Ayyad. Footage from the scene confirms the altercation occurred, authorities say.Both Hesham and Khalil Ayyad were arrested Tuesday and charged with domestic violence and assault. In addition, Hersham Ayyad is accused of making false alarms, falsification, and obstructing official business.
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