Two American Citizens Killed While Defending Two Muslim Girls in Portland

Two American citizens lost their lives while confronting what reports describe as 'harassment of two Muslim girls by a racist individual.' The assailant, who was arrested during the incident, attacked the defenders of the girls with a knife. According to reports, a man named Jeremy Christian was arrested on June 6 following an attack on a light rail train in Portland. He is accused of murdering two American citizens named Ricky John Best, 53, and Taliesin Myrddin Namkai Meche, 23, and injuring a third person who is currently hospitalized. The Portland police state that they are investigating the background of the arrested individual and the potential for his racist thoughts. The incident occurred when Jeremy Christian, the attacker, began shouting insults and 'verbal hate speech' against the two girls, one of whom was wearing a hijab. According to the Associated Press, the mother of one of the girls, who is African American, stated that her daughter was with a friend wearing a hijab when the assailant began his tirade. Ms. Dijawana Hudson reported that the attacker said, 'Muslims must die' and 'they (Muslims) have been killing Christians for years.' Reports indicate that the two men who were attacked by Jeremy Christian were trying to defend the two girls. This recent incident occurred just before the start of Ramadan, and a memorial service for the deceased is planned. Ted Wheeler, the mayor of Portland, stated that the two men killed in the attack are 'heroes' who lost their lives during a 'horrific act of racial violence.' The FBI, which is conducting an investigation alongside the Portland police, stated that it is still undecided whether the incident constitutes a 'federal hate crime.' However, the arrested individual had previously faced charges that could be considered hate-related actions. He had also spent time in prison 15 years ago for theft and kidnapping. The 'Council on American-Islamic Relations' released a statement indicating that incidents or attacks against Muslims in the United States have increased by 50 percent from 2015 to 2016. This council has urged Donald Trump, the President of the United States, to take a stand against the rise of Islamophobia in the country. Mr. Trump, in a message the day before, congratulated Muslims on the arrival of Ramadan and described the Islamist terrorist attacks in Britain and Egypt as 'evil,' stating they are in 'direct contradiction' to the spirit of Ramadan.