HAMPTON ROADS, Va. — The ongoing fighting in Israel is raising concerns about hate crimes.
On Oct. 14, a six-year-old Palestinian boy was stabbed to death in Illinois. The case is being investigated as a possible hate crime.
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“It’s really hard," a Palestinian mother who lives in Hampton Roads said about being a Palestinian American.
She doesn't want to be identified because she doesn’t want to endanger her family and said safety is her biggest concern as a Palestinian American.
She said the portrayal of Palestinians as being part of the extremist group Hamas isn’t helping.
“We’re being labeled as terrorists when we did nothing," said the mother. "I am not Hamas. I am a Palestinian person; I am not Hamas."
The fear of hate crimes is beginning to impact how she raises her son.
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“I don’t even turn on the U.S. News anymore in front of my child because it confuses him," she said. "I’m at the point where I want him to be scared because I want him to be careful. I don’t want him to trust people.”
She also just had a conversation with her husband about buying a gun. He proposed buying one for safety, but she doesn’t want to have a gun in the house.
FBI data shows the number of reported hate crimes in Virginia against both the Muslim and Jewish communities has gone up and down since 2018.
The highest for the Muslim community was eight in 2019 and lowest was two in both 2020 and 2022.
On the Jewish side, the high was 16 in 2018 and the low was four in 2021.
“We have been working to make sure law enforcement across the commonwealth is at the ready," Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said about being prepared for any violence in the state as a result of the fighting in Israel.
The governor made the comment in Virginia Beach at a recent event showing support for Israel.
Youngkin pledged support for Israel but also condemned hate against any Virginian.
“There’s been a heightened coordination between state and local law enforcement authorities with the various synagogues across the commonwealth but also with all houses of worship," the governor said.
The mother said even once the fighting stops, the fear of hate crimes won't go away quickly.
