Washington, DC — On Thursday, an anti-Muslim tweet surfaced from an account run by Edward Durr, who was newly elected as a Republican state senator in New Jersey. The tweet contains false, offensive and incendiary comments about Muslims and Islam. Durr’s tweets also include offensive statements about the Holocaust, public figures and people of color.

The following is a statement from Muslim Advocates Communications Director Eric Naing:

“Anti-Muslim smears like the kind Mr. Durr posted on his Twitter account have been directly responsible for hate and violence against American Muslims. The hateful words and false conspiracy theories spread by Durr should have no place in society, let alone the New Jersey State Senate. Mr. Durr must either sincerely apologize and disavow his hateful and dangerous social media posts or resign.

Without a genuine apology, we have no faith that he can fairly represent the Muslims in his district and, frankly, we would worry about the safety of the American Muslims that will have to work with him. New Jersey is home to one of the largest Muslim populations in the United States and as a state senator, Durr will be working with and serving alongside American Muslims.

This is not a matter of politics or political correctness. This is a matter of life and death for American Muslims. As we have seen in the headlines and in the manifestos of white nationalist shooters, online hate far too often leads to real world violence. If Mr. Durr cares about the safety and dignity of his constituents, he must apologize and disavow his record of anti-Muslim hate or step down from his office.”

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Muslim Advocates is a national civil rights organization working in the courts, in the halls of power and in communities to halt bigotry in its tracks. We ensure that American Muslims have a seat at the table with expert representation so that all Americans may live free from hate and discrimination.