Another Violent Threat for Speaking Out on Palestine

I've reported this threat to the FBI, and I am also sharing it with you for a very important reason

I wish I didn’t have to keep writing pieces like this. But as I continue to speak up for justice for Palestine, the threats keep coming. This Sunday morning, as I spent time with my family, I received another anonymous threat—this time from someone texting me from the number +1 (514) 587-3182.

They threatened me with violence, called me horrific names, and even posted what they believed is my home address in an attempt to intimidate me. Below is the conversation, slightly edited for brevity. After, I share the very important reason I publicize these threats, and why I need your support. Let’s Address This.

The Conversation

The initial unsolicited text came in to my private cell phone number. I don’t know how they got my number, nor do I understand why they were able to text me even after I blocked them — which I did right away. None the less, here is how my morning went:

+1 (514) 587-3182:
You are a nazi and a disgusting human-being. Shame on you 🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱

The number allegedly traces to Montreal, Canada. But it became clear it was likely a Google Voice or other burner number. I responded condemning the fact that these pro-genocide apologists love hiding behind private screens and blocked the number to stop communication. Yet, the extremist at the other end of the line continued.

+1 (514) 587-3182:
You deserve to burn in hell don't worry you will in the afterlife. Little Hamas supporting nazi asshole.

I made clear to them that I was uninterested in engaging them.

Qasim Rashid:
Thanks fascist. You can go now.

That didn’t go over too well, and they continued to send abusive texts. I once more made clear that I was not willing to engage them due to their cowardly anonymity.

Qasim Rashid:
I don’t debate anonymous fascists. If you had courage you'd show yourself.

And that’s when they responded with a chilling message, echoing the fascist words of how Nazi sympathizers describe the Holocaust.

+1 (514) 587-3182:
Aww 60kk isn't enough soon more everyday little hostage taker 🖕🖕

The 60K obviously refers to the low estimate of 60,000 Palestinians who have been killed in this genocide and holocaust perpetrated by the Israeli government, and funded by the United States government. The extremist’s statement that “60K isn’t enough” with a promise of more murders is a pro-genocide statement. It mimics exactly how Nazi apologists describe the horrific atrocities of the Hitler regime against the Jewish people. This is yet another reason I don’t debate anonymous bots on the Internet, in my email, or on my personal cell phone. Inevitably, they promote violence and dehumanization. I made clear now a third time that I was uninterested in engaging this person and that they should stop messaging me.

Qasim Rashid:
Yes I know you're pro genocide. Which is why you're a coward.
You can go now

They responded with a direct intimidation to me and my family’s personal safety—texting me a private home address on the assumption that I still live here (I do not, but this is an accurate former home address). They added that they would get “Nazi scum off our streets,” apparently a violent threat directed towards me.

+1 (514) 587-3182:
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Henrico, VA 23238
Nazi scum off our streets

I now realized that this was not a random troll, but someone threatening direct violence and with specific personal information. It was someone targeting me for my human rights advocacy, my faith as Muslim, and my refusal to bend the knee to extremism and genocide. I responded to ensure they knew I recognized their threat.

Qasim Rashid:
Are you threatening me with violence?

They responded alleging that because they are a “women” they don’t “find” with violence.

+1 (514) 587-3182:
No? You are just dumb. I'm a women I don't find with violence

I am unsure how that makes any sense. Or how someone who just said “60K dead Palestinians isn’t enough” could dare say they’re opposed to violence. However, I began to realize their lack of basic English grammar could very well mean they are not a native English speaker. Could this be a foreign agent threatening me? I replied:

Qasim Rashid:
Why are you sending me that home address? How did you get that? And what do you mean "off our streets?"

Once I asked for clarity on how they got private residential information and what they meant by their threats, they likely realized they’d gone too far and divulged too much.

+1 (514) 587-3182:
Goodbye parasite

I made clear I would be reporting their threats. They refused to answer my questions but continued their dehumanizing rhetoric, mimicking the way Nazis spoke about the people they violently targeted and murdered. I let them know I would be reporting their threats to the FBI, which I have.

Qasim Rashid:
I'll be reporting to the FBI

Finally, they divulged who put them up to these violent threats—the “Canary Mission.”

+1 (514) 587-3182:
We are planning on putting you on canary mission for being a Jew hater.
Off our streets like to back in hiding where all you Hamas rats hide.

What is the Canary Mission? It is one of the most sinister, secretive, and destructive forces in America today. As The Nation reported on them in 2023:

The Canary Mission is a massive blacklisting and doxxing operation directed from Israel that targets students and professors critical of Israeli policies, and then launches slanderous charges against them—charges designed to embarrass and humiliate them and damage their future employability. All secretly funded by wealthy Jewish Americans and Jewish American foundations. Not content with online slander and blacklisting, Canary Mission agents have also been involved in physical intimidation.

So who is funding this violent intimidatory secret organization? The Nation explains:

Like all of Israel’s espionage and covert operations in the United States, Canary Mission’s links to Israeli intelligence—and the Mission’s American financiers—are well hidden. But as a result of a slipup on a tax form a few years ago, those links began to be revealed. And in the process was exposed the role played by one of the wealthiest families in California, headed by publicity-shy billionaire Sanford Diller, a major Trump backer who had donated $6 million to a pro-Trump political committee. Diller was also a pro-Israel extremist, supporting a long list of right-wing Islamophobic organizations. They included the American Freedom Law Center, founded by a man who even the Anti-Defamation League said has a “record of anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant and anti-black bigotry,” and Stop Islamization of America, which “has sought to rouse public fears about a vast Islamic conspiracy to destroy American values,” according to the ADL.

And finally, as The Nation (among other outlets) reports, the people funding Canary Mission and other racist orgs are adamantly supremacist and genocidal:

In addition to Canary Mission, the Central Fund also directs millions of donations to a wide range of racist and extremist settler groups. Among them is Lehava, a far-right Jewish supremacist group based in Israel that has staged marches chanting “Death to Arabs.”

Thus, it became clear how this person got my private information, why they felt so comfortable sending me such violent threats, and that they likely are a foreign agent.

Friends, this is what we face: A billionaire funded violent extremist org who hides in the shadows of anonymity to destroy people’s lives for daring to speak up against genocide and injustice. The extremist threatening me continued their threats to make it explicitly clear their goal is to destroy me. Thus, they once again used dehumanizing language against me, describing me as a “rat” just as how the Nazis described the Jewish people. I responded to make clear that I am reporting them to the FBI.

Qasim Rashid:
Thanks for confirming that this is a threat. I'll be reporting to the FBI. You sent me a private home address and said you want to get "scum off our streets." I'll be reporting to the FBI. Stop messaging me.

After a few more vile texts, and multiple more calls to stop messaging me, the extremist finally stopped. Yes, I’ve reported this to the FBI. And I’m sharing with you.

Why I Share This

The very important reason I share these threats is to show you the reality of what it means to speak up for human rights in America today, and the need for unity against this vile intimidation. This is what happens when you dare criticize the current Israeli and American governments for their genocide of Palestinians. Shadowy billionaire funded orgs, aligned with Trump and other racist politicians, send you anonymous texts to remind you they know where you live and have the power to harm you.

Every time this happens I am presented with a choice. Tone it down, or double down? Toning it down might provide temporary reprieve and safety, but what good is personal safety when the world is on fire? Doubling down undoubtedly increases risks to my personal safety, but I’ve decided I cannot live life in fear of extremists, especially as my fellow human beings are suffer horrific atrocity at the hands of those very extremists.

And to be clear, for years, I have been consistent and resolute: I reject antisemitism unequivocally. I always have, and I always will. My advocacy isn’t silent either. It’s why I’ve been privileged to speak at the funeral of Holocaust survivors.

2018: Speaking at the funeral of a Holocaust survivor, where I was also honored to serve as a pallbearer.

It’s why, when antisemitic extremists demolished a Jewish cemetery near my home when I lived in Philadelphia, I worked to activate my local Muslim community to help clean up the cemetery:

Members of the Philadelphia branch of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA, an American-Muslim organization, also visited the cemetery and helped in the cleanup efforts, national spokesman Qasim Rashid said. Salaam Bhatti, another spokesman for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, said members were at Mount Carmel cemetery Monday helping with “whatever the cemetery needs.” “This attack is not just an attack on our Jewish brothers and sisters, but on our common community,” Bhatti said. “We believe we need to be protecting our fellow humans from this extremism.”

It’s why many of my most steadfast allies in this fight are Jewish. Jewish readers, Jewish leaders, Jewish activists—standing shoulder to shoulder with me against genocide and oppression. They understand, as I do, that never again must mean never again for anyone.

A snapshot of the overwhelming support i have from Jewish readers and humanitarians.

Whenever I’ve been invited to Seders and Synagogues to break bread or speak on interfaith harmony, I’ve embraced the opportunities. These moments of unity and solidarity are important to a healthy society, in significant part because unfortunately, provocateurs have long tried to drive a wedge between Muslims and Jews. We cannot allow that to happen.

Meanwhile, what we are witnessing now are bad-faith actors who weaponize the word “antisemitism” to censor any and all criticism of Israel’s crimes against humanity. That’s not fighting antisemitism—that’s whitewashing genocide. I will continue to stand up to antisemitism because hatred of Jewish people is indefensible and inexcusable. And I will continue call out injustice and genocide against Palestinians, because genocide of the Palestinian people is indefensible and inexcusable.

Doubling Down For Justice in the Face of Hate

So let me be clear: I will not back down. I will not capitulate to threats, intimidation, or anonymous fascists hiding behind text messages. And I cannot do this alone. It is impossible to do this alone.

If anything, threats like these only reaffirm why this fight matters. Because if people are willing to spew this much hate to silence one voice, it means the truth we are speaking is powerful. And it means we need more voices, not fewer.

This is why I hope you continue to raise your voice for justice, unapologetically. This is why I hope you’ll continue to stand with me, to support my advocacy, to share my work, and to recognize that now more than ever we must stand united against hate.

Justice at home and abroad depends on our collective courage. Let us find it together, and let us act—because silence in the face of hate can never been an option.