Virginia Muslim Dem moves to codify 'Islamophobia' into state law despite free speech objections

Virginia State Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim (D-Fairfax) has introduced Senate Bill 624, legislation that would define “Islamophobia” within Virginia’s assault laws and require law enforcement to track crimes allegedly motivated by anti-Islam bias. The bill would amend Virginia’s existing assault statute to recognize Islamophobia as “malicious prejudice or hatred directed toward Islam."

The legislation would also direct the Virginia State Police, with directions from the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, to incorporate the definition of Islamophobia into the state's hate crime reporting wing. Supporters of the law say the change would help police more accurately identify and classify bias-motivated offenses against Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim.

Virginia law already provides enhanced penalties for assaults committed because of a victim's race, religious conviction, gender, disability, sexual orientation or ethnic or national origin. Under current Virginia law, assault and battery resulting in bodily injury that is motivated by one of those protected classes could be prosecuted as a Class 6 felony with a mandatory minimum six-month jail sentence.

While Senate Bill 624 states it would not create a new criminal offense, civil cause of action, or restrict speech protected under the First Amendment or the Virginia Constitution, critics have raised concerns that placing a state mandated definition of Islamophobia into state law could blur the line between first amendment protected criticism of Islam as a religion and violent acts motivated by an anti-Muslim hatred or bias.

Some view this as a foray into a more radical Islamic rule. Georgia congressman Clay Fuller blasted the bill on X

“Another example is that radical Islam is a true and clear threat to the United States,” he wrote. “We need to call it for what it is.”