Madihha Ahussain, special counsel for anti-Muslim bigotry at Muslim Advocates, released the following statement in response to the recent Portland, Oregon stabbing on the eve of Ramadan of three good samaritans defending two Muslim women from hostility from a White nationalist and Nazi sympathizer:

“The three good samaritans who were stabbed defending these women are heroes and we applaud them for speaking up against bigotry when they saw it.

These folks are model citizens who did the right and reasonable thing in coming to the aid of two Muslim women facing hostility from a White nationalist and Nazi sympathizer on a train.

We send our condolences to the families of the two victims whose wounds resulted in fatalities.

As the Islamic month of Ramadan begins for many Muslims around the world, we urge the Muslim community and its allies to be vigilant, as we often see increased targeting of Muslims during this time.

We applaud the acts of these heroes and the message they’ve sent to the nation: that bigotry has no place in American society.”