About Raunaq's Case
Raunaq Alam, Afsheen Khan, and one other were initially charged with a misdemeanor criminal mischief for spray painting “F*ck Israel” on the wall of a nondenominational church for providing monetary support to the Israeli Occupation Forces. The charges were eventually trumped up to a felony with hate crime enhancement, naming the State of Israel as a victim of a “hate crime.” It was never about property damage, but a dangerous and legally flawed attempt to criminalize dissent. The charges are a direct response to their condemnation of Israel’s siege, blockade, and genocide of the Palestinian people.