A Democratic candidate for local office in Illinois has withdrawn from the race in the wake of a tweet she posted mocking a federal law enforcement agent being assaulted by rioters.
Hadiya Afzal, a 20-year-old candidate for the DuPage County Board, has dropped out of the race after receiving national attention for a now-deleted tweet expressing joy that a law enforcement officer in Portland was hit in the head by a projectile during a riot, according to Chicago Tribune.
“I’ve been watching this on repeat for fifteen minutes and laughing every single time,” Afzal posted along with a video of Portland rioters throwing objects at officers and hitting one in the head in a tweet first reported by journalist Andy Ngo. It was picked up by Sen. Ted Cruz and others.
“Hateful & sick,” the Texas Republican tweeted in response to news of the tweet. “Does @JoeBiden agree? Will any reporter ask him?”
Hateful & sick.
Does @JoeBiden agree? Will any reporter ask him? https://t.co/flUCbRneXu
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 26, 2020
Afzal responded to the statement on Twitter, where her tweets are now protected, saying, “My post was in poor taste and doesn’t reflect the values I was raised with and hold dear. I do not support or condone violence in any form. I appreciate and support the role that law enforcement plays in keeping our communities safe. I sincerely apologize for the irresponsible tweet.”
In a Facebook post, Afzal again apologized for the comment but also accused her critics of targeting her for her Muslim faith and launching “a wave of coordinated racist, sexist, and Islamaphobic harassment against me.”
Afzal has dropped out of the race in a move she said was encouraged by the local Democratic Party as to ensure she would not be a “distraction.”