Law enforcement and a hazmat team are on the scene at the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) headquarters in Washington, D.C., which has been partially evacuated on Thursday due to a suspicious piece of mail.
CAIR, whose mission is to « enhance understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, » said on social media that its Capitol Hill office was evacuated by police after a powdery « foreign substance » was found in an envelope.
CAIR Capitol Hill office evacuated by police after « foreign substance » received in mail. https://t.co/fR2laAkQG0
— CAIR National (@CAIRNational) December 10, 2015
According to ABC7, « An unknown number of people who came into contact with the substance were quarantined inside the building. »
The Washington Post reports that Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the organization, said « a poof of white powder wafted out of an envelope when a staff member opened it. »
The development comes amid escalating xenophobia and anti-Muslim rhetoric, as well as increased reports of attacks based on race and religion.
« We receive threats on almost a daily basis, so it’s nothing new for us, » said Hooper. « But a suspicious substance—that’s new. »
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