Tuesday morning, Hoover City Council candidate Tanveer Patel held a press conference detailing two recent death threats made on Facebook from a Georgia man, as well as what her campaign described as “hate-filled comments” about the Muslim faith from others.
The violent threats were posted by one individual, whom William White, Tanveer’s attorney, said has been identified by law enforcement. While White initially said during the press conference that an arrest had been made, the campaign clarified after the press conference that the individual had been identified but not arrested.
The campaigns had posters made with the threats and what they described as “other hate-filled comments such as 'raghead, sandbox builder, F* Off, Go back where you came from,' etc.”
White said the investigation was ongoing with the support of the Hoover Police Department and the FBI.
The Hoover Police Department confirmed this in a statement, saying, “We took a report from Ms. Patel for Harassing Communications on August 15th after her campaign Facebook page received some comments/messages that caused concern. The matter is under investigation.”
Alabama Code Title 13A. Criminal Code SECTION 13A-11-8 describes "HARASSMENT OR HARASSING COMMUNICATIONS," which is a Class C misdemeanor. The law states:
(b)(1) HARASSING COMMUNICATIONS. A person commits the crime of harassing communications if, with intent to harass or alarm another person, he or she does any of the following:
a. Communicates with a person, anonymously or otherwise, by telephone, telegraph, mail, or any other form of written or electronic communication, in a manner likely to harass or cause alarm.
b. Makes a telephone call, whether or not a conversation ensues, with no purpose of legitimate communication.
c. Telephones another person and addresses to or about such other person any lewd or obscene words or language.
Nothing in this section shall apply to legitimate business telephone communications.
(2) Harassing communications is a Class C misdemeanor.
Screenshots of the messages show long rants posted, which include text that says, “Are you be shot to death,” and "How come we're not allowed to just shoot and kill these people and get them out of our f****** country?"
“These past few days have been painful,” Patel said at the press conference. “My family and I have received hateful messages and even death threats. It has shaken me up, our peace of mind, and our family.”
She added, “But I want to be very clear: I still believe in America. I still believe in the red, white, and blue, and I still believe in the American Dream. No matter your faith, background, every citizen has the right to live free and participate fully in this democracy. Hate will not win. Let freedom ring.”
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