(TargetLiberty.org) – Hartford police arrested Andrey Desmond, 30, after he reportedly assaulted Connecticut state Rep. Maryam Khan (D) after she attended an Eid al-Adha service in Hartford Wednesday.
The police noted that Desmond had made unwanted advances on the state lawmaker and even attempted to block her from leaving before assaulting her. The incident resulted in “minor injuries” as civilians were successfully detaining Desmond, who was charged with unlawful restraint, third-degree assault, breach of the peace, and interfering with police. Khan was reportedly assessed by medical personnel at the scene for her injuries.
On Wednesday night, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) released a statement calling the incident “disturbing” especially as Khan had been attacked while attending Eid al-Adha services with her family on what was meant to be a day of “peaceful prayer.” He added that Khan is a “dedicated public servant” with a deep commitment to serving constituents in both Hartford and Windsor with her legislation.
Khan was the first Muslim to be elected to the state’s House of Representatives last year through a special election.
Farhan Memon, the chair of the Connecticut Council on American-Islamic Relations, is pushing local, state, and federal authorities to investigate the incident for any “possible bias” that could have resulted in the attack. He added that it was imperative for them to also work to ensure the safety of other Muslims in the community as the Eid al-Adha celebrations were set to continue. As he pointed out Muslim Americans are often attacked over the way they dress and their customs.
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