Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson faces sharp criticism for failing to acknowledge a recent hate crime involving a Jewish man who was shot on his way to synagogue last Shabbat. The alleged shooter, Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi, reportedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” during the incident, which left Chicago’s Jewish community shaken. The mayor gave a very vague description of the attack and made no mention of religion of the Jewish victim or the hate crime’s circumstances.

In contrast, critics pointed to Johnson’s detailed and emphatic response to another hate-based attack a year prior, raising questions about consistency in his public stance on hate crimes.

Congressman Ritchie Torres condemned Mayor Johnson’s silence, stating, “The Mayor of Chicago is fully capable of acknowledging hate crimes—just not the ones against Jews. Why not mention WHY the victim was shot (because he was Jewish)? Why not mention WHERE the victim was shot (en route to a synagogue)?

Any Mayor who cannot be bothered to acknowledge the antisemitism of a hate crime against a Jewish man heading to a synagogue is unworthy of the office he holds. An act of hate against the Jewish community is an act of hate against us all.”