HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A Hallandale Beach city commissioner is being widely condemned after she wrote online that a newly elected Muslim congresswoman could "become a martyr and blow up Capitol Hill."
City Commissioner Anabelle Lima-Taub called for the removal of U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, with a petition on Facebook saying "a Hamas-loving anti-Semite has no place in government!" and calling her a "danger."
Tlaib recently made headlines for using profane language in her vow to impeach President Donald Trump. Lima-Taub's critics didn't take issue with the commissioner signing the petition, but with the attached comment.
"This is a black eye of our community, and I would like to see us move forward," Commissioner Michele Lazarow said. "I don't know if that's possible, which is unfortunate."
Lima-Taub's comments made national headlines and Tlaib herself weighed in on Twitter, saying the remark was "hateful anti-Muslim rhetoric."
Wilfredo Ruiz with the Florida chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations said his group is calling for Lima-Taub's resignation, saying xenophobia has no place in an elected office.
"This is something that we -- the broader community, not only the Muslim community -- are tired of," Ruiz said. "And that's why we are very firm in asking this elected official Lima-Taub not only for her apology but for her immediate resignation from office."
Lima-Taub could not reached for comment.
This sort of hateful anti-Muslim rhetoric doesn’t happen in a vacuum - this President embraced it and Republicans have happily gone along with it.https://t.co/3THoHQmRVy
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) January 15, 2019
Commissioner Mike Butler released a statement stressing the city's diversity.
"Hallandale Beach is a city that celebrates diversity and enjoys the benefits of it. To say that someone might be a terrorist because they're Muslim is just plain wrong. People of all faiths are welcome here in Hallandale Beach," Butler said.
Hallandale Beach is home to Baitful Naseer Mosque and a significant population of Ahmediyya Muslims.
"We have a really active Muslim community in Hallandale Beach who are always present at city events always working so hard to inspire cultural awareness," Vice Mayor Sabrina Javellana said.