A sofa is pushed up against a locked front door at a quiet midtown apartment, and the blinds are drawn in the living room.
A Syrian refugee couple with their two children were inside the apartment Thursday quietly finishing up English tutoring lessons taught by a friend.
The family, who asked not to be identified for fear of their safety, will move to a new apartment next week because their lives were disrupted by a recent threatening note that was taped to their front door.
Part of the note, written with colored markers and pencils, read: “Go away killers” “We do not like you living here!” “Please move before danger can happen.” “America hates terrorist like you!”
The father of the family works at a hotel in housekeeping, and saw the note as he was leaving for work on the morning of June 15, he said through a translator. He took the note with him and had his supervisor translate all the messages. She urged him to call police and report it.
The 37-year-old man did, and Tucson police are investigating the incident, said Sgt. Kimberly Bay, a Tucson Police Department spokeswoman. No suspect or suspects have been identified at this time, said Bay in an email.
Bay said that detectives who work on such investigations say this is the first harassment/threat reported by a refugee in Tucson that they can recall.
The police department strongly encourages anyone who is a victim of harassment or threats to report the incident to police immediately, even if there is no information on a suspect, Bay said.
“This incident is extremely troubling, as it is not only vicious in nature — but also targets some of the most vulnerable people in the world, refugees,” said Imraan Siddiqi, executive director of the Arizona Chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations.
The council is a Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Part of its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue and protect civil liberties.
“With increased levels of anti-Muslim hate, we must ensure that this incident is investigated from all angles, to ensure that this does not happen to anyone else,” Siddiqi said.
Arizona is one of the top 10 refugee resettlement states in the country, but Syrians make up a very small share of the total. In fiscal 2015, there were about 136 Syrian refugees resettled in Arizona, federal authorities have said.
“I never expected this to happen,” said the father in the midtown apartment, who fled in 2013 from Homs, Syria to Lebanon with his pregnant wife and their son, then a toddler. He supported his family as a business accountant. He said their lives filled with fear and tension once government military increasingly clashed with civilians after a 2011 uprising in which his countrymen were demanding their human and civil rights.
When the family fled to Lebanon, they sought asylum with the U.S. International Refugee Commission, and it was granted nine months ago. The family moved to Tucson and the International Refugee Commission sponsored them and helped them finding housing and employment.
“Living in Tucson has been amazing. We felt happy and safe. We have good neighbors,” said the father. One neighbor brought the family flowers and apologized that someone left the hateful note.
The couple said their Muslim faith brings them peace and gives them strength to move forward for their children. “We came to America because it is the safest place in the world. I want the best for my family — a good education for my children,” said the father in reference to his son, 4, and daughter, 2.
“We want to work and contribute and give back,” he said of himself and his 26-year-old wife.
