Ohio Man Arrested for Lying about Anti-Palestinian Hate Crime

An Ohio man has been arrested after allegedly fabricating a hate crime incident and falsely claiming to be the victim of an anti-Palestinian attack. Hesham A. Ayyad, 20, had told the Cleveland chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) that he was targeted by a driver who hurled anti-Palestinian slurs at him and hit him with a car. However, the North Ridgefield police have now revealed that Ayyad lied about the encounter and that his injuries were actually sustained during a fight with his own brother.

According to CAIR, the incident supposedly occurred while Ayyad was walking home from lunch near the border of Olmsted Falls and North Ridgeville. A vehicle allegedly slowed down beside him, and the driver shouted hateful statements such as "Kill all Palestinians" and "Long live Israel" before intentionally hitting Ayyad and yelling "DIE!" CAIR released a press release along with a photo of Ayyad lying in a hospital bed wearing a neck brace, demanding an investigation into the incident and hoping for hate crime charges.

Responding to the incident, Faten Odeh, the Interim Executive Director of CAIR-Ohio, Cleveland, stated, "We hope the North Ridgeville Police Department and the FBI will collect all the information they need to charge this individual with a hate crime." Ayyad had informed the police officers who arrived at the scene that he had been struck by a vehicle and that the incident seemed racially motivated. He was then taken to a hospital for treatment.

However, after reviewing video footage from the area, investigators discovered that Ayyad had lied about being hit by a vehicle and the racial slurs. Instead, they found evidence indicating that his injuries were caused by a violent fight with his brother. As a result, Ayyad was arrested on Tuesday and charged with making false alarms, falsification, obstructing official business, domestic violence, and assault. His 19-year-old brother, Khalil A. Ayyad, was also arrested and charged with domestic violence and assault.

Both brothers are currently being held at the Lorain County Jail. The Post has reached out to CAIR-Cleveland for comment on the arrest, but no response has been received thus far. A spokesperson for the Islamic Council stated that they do not have any further information about the charges at this time, but it is understood that the brothers have obtained their own legal counsel.

This incident bears resemblance to the high-profile Jussie Smollett case, where the actor was found guilty of staging a racist and homophobic attack on himself and lying to the Chicago police about it. The Ayyad case highlights the importance of thoroughly investigating alleged hate crimes to ensure that the truth is revealed and justice is served.