Chicago's Arab, Muslim community claim police are racially profiling them

CHICAGO - Leaders of Chicago’s Arab community say local Arabs and Muslims have been racially profiled by police, according to data.

The new Arab American Action Network says it conducted an analysis of over 200 police reports by state police and Chicago police.

They say that suspicious activity reports have shown that Arabs and Muslims are disproportionately targeted, making up more than half of all of those reports between 2016 and 2020.

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The group held a rally in protest Friday on Federal Plaza. They are specifically calling out the, "If you see something, say something" campaign.

"Once you see that over 50 percent of suspicious activity reports are filed against people identified as Arab, Muslim, Middle Eastern or olive skin, surveilled and targeted for everyday activities such as taking pictures downtown, confiding in their counselors at school or even for simply speaking Arabic," one community leader said.

The groups claim the United States government is collecting data on Arabs and Muslims and has been storing the information for decades.

Illinois State Police didn't comment specifically on the report, but says it does not store information on any individuals or groups without "reasonable suspicion."