Egyptian American assaulted for carrying Palestinian flag says incident goes against US values

By Mucahit Oktay

An Egyptian American, who was assaulted in the US for carrying a Palestinian flag, said on Tuesday if he had carried the Israeli flag, he would probably have received applause and support.

"People would probably applaud and support me with a fist pump,” if it was the Israeli flag, Mahmoud Al-Shazly, 26, told Anadolu. “If I were a white male, this would never have happened. The situation would definitely have been the opposite.”

Noting that his family came to the US from Alexandria, Egypt in the 1990s, Al-Shazly, who was born and raised in the state of Texas, said that at a skiing center, a “white American” man jumped in front of him and said: “How about you get rid of that (Palestinian) flag?”

When Al-Shazly refused to take the flag off that he was carrying, the man knocked him to the ground.

He said just one person helped him during the attack.

When he managed to get up and save the flag, he said that he shouted angrily: “Genociders killed 7,000 children, 20,000 people,” referring to the Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas conflict.

- Experience 'does not align with freedom of expression’ in US

"This man -- just because I expressed my thoughts and carried the Palestinian flag -- not only thought he had the right to say these words to me, but also thought he had the right to confiscate my belongings and attack me,” he said.

“This does not align at all with what you usually hear about the freedom of expression that the country supposedly represents."

Al-Shazly said police made a report about the assault and identified the attacker. Officials informed him that a court summons was sent to the attacker.

He noted that he would “seek justice in court."

- Support on social media

Al-Shazly has received support following the incident, with users on social media reaching out with messages of support.

"Don't let this scare you. Continue to raise the Palestinian flag. Be proud. Do not be afraid. We are right, and we must continue to stand by the people of Gaza, the Palestinian people,” he said.

Pointing to increasing prejudice and aggression against Muslims in the US, Al-Shazly cited a “very sad" incident in November involving three Palestinian college students from Brown University who were shot and wounded while walking to a family dinner in the state of Vermont for speaking Arabic and wearing traditional Keffiyeh scarves. One of the victims was paralyzed.

"However, there is a lot of hatred directed towards American citizens, especially from white individuals. Our media truly portrays every Muslim who wears a keffiyeh and speaks Arabic, as well as every Arab, as a terrorist or someone who wishes for the death of Jews and Christians. This is absolutely untrue. It's very disheartening because the media presents it this way," he said.

Al-Shazly also commented on the killing of a 6-year-old Muslim boy by his landlord in Chicago.

"I heard that this landlord had played games with this child before. So, they had good memories together, and this person, this aggressor, this murderer, really believed in what the media presented, that this child could become a terrorist when he grows up," said Al-Shazly

- What is happening in Palestine, Gaza is ‘occupation, genocide’

Addressing civilians who are subjected to Israel's attacks in Gaza, Al-Shazly said: "We are with you. We see you, and we are doing everything we can to support you."

He said events in Palestine and Gaza are an “occupation and genocide.”

"Israel has no right to kill even a single Palestinian,” he said.

"More and more people are beginning to realize the oppression and occupation in Palestine.

"There can be no justification for Israel's attacks on the people of Gaza," he added.

He noted positive reactions from people across the world about Gaza.

"Many people in the US and the Western world see this and say it is not right, using their own logic. They are starting to read history again and question it. I have many friends and colleagues who express their confusion and deep sorrow about why our government officials support this and do not call for a cease-fire, do not condemn Israel,” he added.

*Writing by Esra Tekin in Istanbul