Pak-origin Democrat threatened in emails
A Pakistani-origin leader of the Democratic Party in Vermont in the US has been threatened with a series of antiMuslim emails asking him to “get out” of the state, media reports said.
Faisal Gill, who took over as the Chairman of the Vermont Democratic Party in March and believed to be the first Muslim leader of a state political party in the US, received three threatening emails within a seven-day period in May.
Christopher Hayden, 48, of Burlington in Vermont was arraigned in June on a charge of disturbing the peace by electronic means with a hate-crime enhancement, Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George was quoted as saying by the Burlington Free Press.
The charge carries a maximum prison sentence of two years and three months, George said.
Hayden pleaded not guilty and was released on conditions, George said. The case was first reported Friday by Vermont Public Radio.
Gill, 45, received one anti-Muslim email on May 24 from an account in Hayes’ name, and two additional messages May 31, the report said.
The final two emails used racial and ethnic slurs.