Fight Back! is circulating the following statement by the United States Palestinian Community Network (USPCN) concerning the heinous and hateful murder of Wadea Al-Fayoume, a Palestinian-American child.

USPCN statement on the hate crime murder of baby Wadea Al-Fayoume

On October 15th, 2023, in Plainfield, Illinois, Hanaan Shahin and her six-year-old son Wadea Al-Fayoume were mercilessly attacked by their landlord, 71-year-old Joseph Czuba, in a hate crime targeting their Palestinian-Muslim identity. Hanaan is in critical condition in the hospital, and we are heartbroken to report that the precious Wadea died after being stabbed 26 times by Czuba. Hannan and Wadea had lived on the ground floor for two years with no previous notable issues.

Plainfield, IL – “This whole fight was about respect,” said Al Guzman, one of almost two hundred Service Employee International Union Local 1 members who struck S & G Packaging in Plainfield, an outer Chicago suburb, during May and June. “We fought for respect inside the plant and we fought for respect on the picket line.” The 4-week long strike was the high point of a contract campaign that started last October.