NYN Special Correspondent :
The Sunnyside Muslim Center (SMC) brought elected officials, law enforcement leaders, city agencies, faith representatives, and residents together on July 10, 2026, for a Community Safety Briefing following Jumu’ah prayer in Sunnyside, Queens. The gathering followed serious threats against the mosque and centered on stronger protection for houses of worship across New York City.
Among the attendees were Dan Wiley, District Director for the Office of Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez, and Tiffany Echevarria, Community Liaison for the Office of Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez. State and city officials included Assembly Member Claire Valdez of District 37, Assembly Member Steven Raga of District 30, Council Member Julie Won of District 26, and Farah Salim, Chief of Staff to Council Member Julie Won.
Law enforcement and city agency representatives included Shawn Clark, Executive Assistant District Attorney at the Queens District Attorney’s Office, Rakiya Akter, Senior Community Coordinator at the Queens District Attorney’s Office, Detective Iftikhar Khan of the Queens District Attorney’s Office, and representatives of the NYPD 108th Precinct. Vijay Ramjattan, Executive Director of the New York City Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes, addressed the importance of education, prevention, and cooperation. Mohammed Al Harbi, Deputy Borough Director for Queens, also spoke about unity and community protection.
Faith and community leaders included Imam Yousuf Chowdhury of Sunnyside Muslim Center, SM Parvezur Rahman, President of Sunnyside Muslim Center, and Imam Muhammad Shahidullah, CEO of Save the People USA (STPUSA). Serving as moderator and speaker, Shahidullah described the threats facing the congregation. “Our mosque recently received serious threats, including death threats and threats to destroy our house of worship. No one should ever fear for their life simply because they are coming to pray,” he said.
The discussion focused on strengthening security at houses of worship, expanding access to state and federal security grants, increasing patrols, improving emergency preparedness, and encouraging the reporting of hate crimes and suspicious activity. Speakers also stressed the need for closer cooperation between faith communities, government agencies, and law enforcement.
Shahidullah thanked the NYPD, especially the leadership and officers of the 107th and 108th Precincts, for their response and partnership. He closed with a unified message: “No hate. No fear. No violence. Every New Yorker deserves to worship freely, safely, and with dignity. Hate has no place in New York City, New York State, or anywhere in America.”
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