Muslim Couple Faces Harassment Via Fake 911 Calls

[Alecto]

While it's not fundie snark, per se, the attitudes of the right greatly influence behavior like this. I am enraged not only at the harassment this couple faces, but also the fact that 911 resources are tied up with bogus calls like this, which leads to actual emergencies not being responded to as quickly.

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/cou ... e-1.976803

 

 

Quote

In the midst of celebrating a recent Islamic holiday, an upper Manhattan couple heard a familiar knock at the door.

 

It was the police — again.

 

For nearly two years, Mamadou and Assetou Sy have been the targets of an orchestrated campaign of more than 150 false emergency calls to their door at the Dyckman Houses in Inwood.

 

All of the calls — some came in the middle of the night — were bogus. Fake injuries, fake fires and fake reports of gunfire.

 

“Every time someone knocks on our door, we say it must be the police,†groaned Assetou Sy, 52. “And most of the time, it is them.â€

 

The couple doesn’t believe they’re being targeted because of their religion, even though last Sunday police arrived as they celebrated Eid al-Adha, also known as the Festival of Sacrifice. It marks the end of the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

 

In recent months, emergency responders have repeatedly shown up to the Sys’ home — sometimes twice in a day.

 

“We cannot understand how this could be happening,†said Sy’s husband, Mamadou, 57. “How can people play around with the Fire Department and the police like this?â€

 

The Daily News obtained a list of fire calls from 2010 that shows more than 100 calls for medical assistance, stove fires and other incidents — none of them legitimate. Since April, police have logged more than 55 similar calls.

 

Earlier this month, police played for the couple an audio tape of some of the 911 calls, but they couldn’t identify the caller.

 

“We are American citizens and taxpayers like everyone else,†Assetou Sy said. “We don’t need this.â€

 

Originally from Mali, the Sys have lived at the Dyckman Houses for 17 years and said they never had any problems.

 

Assetou Sy runs the Malian Cultural Center in the Bronx where she teaches West African traditions to local youths from immigrant families. Her husband assists her.

 

The first time firefighters showed up to their home, the Sys thought it was a fluke.

 

“Someone had called about a fire,†Mamadou Sy said of the incident in January 2010. “They came inside. They check everything. When they found nothing, then they left.â€

 

Fire officials confirmed the repeated FDNY responses to the fake emergencies and then slammed the caller for endangering lives.

 

“False alarms draw units and resources from actual emergency calls and put the lives of those responding needlessly at risk,†said Frank Dwyer, an FDNY spokesman.

 

Police officials agreed, but said they’ll continue responding each time someone calls.

 

“We can never not go,†said NYPD Deputy Inspector Kim Royster. “We will always go.â€

 

The Inwood address has been flagged by police, meaning a supervisor is dispatched along with patrol.

 

The Sys complained to elected officials and the city Housing Authority about the harassment. But they balked at an emergency transfer after learning they could end up anywhere in the five boroughs.

 

In a statement, NYCHA officials said that residents seeking to move expeditiously within public housing must be flexible, because more than 8,000 residents are awaiting transfers and 144,000 people are waiting for apartments.

 

The Sys said they shouldn’t have to move.

 

“This is my home,†a defiant Mamadou Sy said. “We have a lot of memories here. We are not going anywhere.â€

 

[Beeks]

That is horrible. I'm confused why you think attitudes on the right have led to this though....the article says they don't think it has anything to do with their religion. Are there more details somewhere? Also, why can't they find out where the calls are coming from and prosecute the person??

[Alecto]

That is horrible. I'm confused why you think attitudes on the right have led to this though....the article says they don't think it has anything to do with their religion. Are there more details somewhere? Also, why can't they find out where the calls are coming from and prosecute the person??

The fact they are minority immigrant Muslims probably has everything to do with it, no matter what the article says.

And it's easy to make a 911 call from a payphone or disposable cell and not be traced.

[CanadianHippie]

The fact they are minority immigrant Muslims probably has everything to do with it, no matter what the article says.

And it's easy to make a 911 call from a payphone or disposable cell and not be traced.

And it doesn't cost a thing either.

I agree, the article may say that religion has no part in it, but I don't believe that. Religion and possible race, are likely the motivating factors.

[Buzzard]

The Sys complained to elected officials and the city Housing Authority about the harassment. But they balked at an emergency transfer after learning they could end up anywhere in the five boroughs.

In a statement, NYCHA officials said that residents seeking to move expeditiously within public housing must be flexible, because more than 8,000 residents are awaiting transfers and 144,000 people are waiting for apartments.

I'm guessing this is the real answer to the calls. Someone is pissed about having section 8 in their building, and super double pissy pissed that they recipients of said section 8 are muslims.

[Beeks]

I'm guessing this is the real answer to the calls. Someone is pissed about having section 8 in their building, and super double pissy pissed that they recipients of said section 8 are muslims.

Maybe so. It says they've lived there for 17 years though. It would make more sense to me if they'd just moved in and the harassment started. The article also says they are both teachers - could be a pissed off or disturbed student as well.

I just think it's odd to post this article on a fundie snark board when there is no connection to fundies beyond vague speculation that "attitudes on the right" could have contributed to the harassment.

[emmiedahl]

Is it a section 8 building? It sounds like the entire building is low-income, so all of their neighbors are getting it in that case.

Someone in that building has too much fucking time on their hands. And that someone is probably one of those few who completely abuse the system, as evidenced by the fact that they have the time and money needed to harass their neighbors.

Section 8 buildings can get very.very.dramatic when it comes to neighbor interactions. We have several immigrant families in my building and they are generally better behaved than the white trash element. The white trash element are the ones with cable, nice cars, and the conviction that any minority receiving a public service is taking money directly out of their own pockets. I have a few neighbors who won't let their children play with the children of the Jamaican family who lives next door to me (who have the best behaved children in the building and are generally wonderful people).

[Buzzard]

I missed the part where it said they'd been there that long. In that case... maybe the building is going condo/renovated/sold and they want them out?

Whats interesting is that they havent made any arrests, which means the calls have come from pay phones (which are shockingly rare and usually on some store's security camera), or 100 different "throw phones" (phones which have no contract and require no credit check to start - often listed to fake names). Someone REALLY hates them and has put a lot of effort into it.

I'm totally holding onto my theory that its section 8 related!

[CanadianHippie]

It could also be someone who didn't move into the building until a year an a half ago.

[Alecto]

I honestly think if this were happening to a non-immigrant family, especially a white family? It would have been investigated more closely, but the police have not even sent an investigator to their home to question them

[Buzzard]

http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycha/html/deve ... kman.shtml

It appears that the entire area is a section 8 project, not just the building. This one is also the most desireable in the entire city. People have been killed for their apartments there...

[Katiebug]

No, it's not Section 8, it's a housing project. Section 8 is rental assistance, when people get vouchers to help pay rent in privately-owned apartments. People can get really nasty when an apartment or townhouse complex allows Section 8 tenants, but in this case everyone living in the Dyckman Houses is living in public housing so that shouldn't be much of an issue. Perhaps someone is next on the list to get an apartment there and is hoping to force this family to transfer out?

[emmiedahl]

I live in Section 8 housing, and most of the people here do not receive HUD vouchers. I don't; the waiting list is years long and I will probably be a doctor before my turn comes. My building is considered project housing.

[pixydust]

http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycha/html/developments/mandyckman.shtml

It appears that the entire area is a section 8 project, not just the building. This one is also the most desireable in the entire city. People have been killed for their apartments there...

Maybe it's a two-fold issue, someone is trying to get an apartment to open up for a family/friend (or themselves) and this family is an easy target being immigrants/Muslims.

[Alecto]

Maybe it's a two-fold issue, someone is trying to get an apartment to open up for a family/friend (or themselves) and this family is an easy target being immigrants/Muslims.

I think that is most likely the case.

[emmiedahl]

I didn't think about that! But how would they know that they are next on the list.

I kinda slipped right into Section 8; they had several people move out of 4 bedroom apartments at one time so there was one coming open immediately. However, I have heard horror stories about waiting lists. There is currently a waiting list for my building, we just lucked out.

Maybe God purposed for us to live in the projects. :lol:

[Nomorearrows]

Maybe God purposed for us to live in the projects.

It's really really neat that God laid it in your heart to live in the projects!! 11!!!!

:icon-lol:

[pixydust]

I didn't think about that! But how would they know that they are next on the list.

They might not think about the length of the list, they just want someone OUT, maybe it makes them feel more in control of their situation. I know that in New York getting into the neighborhood that you want can be difficult, it must be near impossible in Section 8 and the projects.

[emmiedahl]

I suspect it was just dramaz with one of the neighbors. There is a lady in my building who hates me because I took a lighter away from her little precious and told him not to burn the building down.

[Kitchen Princess]

ya, I think it's a crazy neighbor. I have heard some stories!

[lizzy]

I'm glad I googled Section 8...that term has a whole other meaning to many familiar with Section 8 discharge from the military. I envisioned a whole housing project full of crazy people!

[CanadianHippie]

I'm glad I googled Section 8...that term has a whole other meaning to many familiar with Section 8 discharge from the military. I envisioned a whole housing project full of crazy people!

Thank goddess I wasn't eating or drinking anything. :lol:

[emmiedahl]

I'm glad I googled Section 8...that term has a whole other meaning to many familiar with Section 8 discharge from the military. I envisioned a whole housing project full of crazy people!

lmao, that is what my husband thought at first too! I have only heard of section 8 as a housing program, so I was surprised and amused.

Although, it is basically a housing project of crazy people. Crazy people interspersed with some of the kindest, hardest-working people I have ever met. It's quite an odd mix.