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COOK COUNTY RECORD

Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Pakistani Muslim Attorney Sues Activist Website Over Alleged Harassment

Federal Court
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A heated confrontation on a Chicago street has escalated into a federal lawsuit, with allegations of harassment, doxing, and emotional distress at its core. Kinza Khan filed the complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on July 11, 2024, accusing Wayne Levinson and Canary Mission of violating her rights under the Illinois Civil Liability for Doxing Act.

According to the complaint, Khan, a Pakistani Muslim woman and licensed attorney in Illinois, encountered Levinson on November 11, 2023. While walking down Broadway Street in Chicago with a friend, they noticed posters on a light pole depicting "Kidnapped by Hamas." As they examined the posters, Levinson allegedly drove by, identified himself, and began yelling at Khan through his car window while waving Israeli flags. He accused her of tearing down the posters and shouted racial slurs telling her to "go back to your country."

The situation quickly escalated when an unknown bystander began removing the posters with a knife. Levinson exited his vehicle and started recording Khan without her consent. The complaint states that he threatened her employment by saying, "What's your name? I'm going to make sure you never have a job again." Despite informing him that she would call the police and providing her name and occupation, Levinson continued his aggressive behavior.

Bystanders intervened and called security from a nearby Mariano’s Market. Despite this intervention, Levinson persisted in recording Khan and her friend aggressively until security officers arrived and asked him to leave multiple times. The Chicago Police were eventually called to the scene but decided not to press charges against either party after determining that Khan's friend's actions were in self-defense.

Levinson later posted videos of the incident on social media platforms such as Instagram, falsely alleging that Khan assaulted him and other bystanders while spreading anti-Semitic sentiments. These posts included private information about Khan without her consent. Canary Mission further exacerbated the situation by republishing these false allegations on their website.

As a result of these actions, Khan received numerous threats and hate messages online. Her social media pages were flooded with comments labeling her as a "Nazi" and "Jew-hater," among other derogatory terms. People even contacted her employers demanding she be fired. This harassment extended to organizations associated with Khan.

Khan alleges that these actions caused significant emotional distress, including anxiety and fear for her safety. She also suffered economic damages due to missed workdays and increased therapy sessions needed to manage stress. Furthermore, she claims that her reputation within both personal and professional communities has been severely tarnished.

In response to these grievances under Count I - Violations of the Illinois Civil Liability for Doxing Act - Khan seeks compensatory damages exceeding $75,000 along with costs incurred during litigation as provided by state law (740 ILCS 195/15). She also requests reasonable attorney’s fees alongside declaratory relief aimed at stopping further harassment from defendants.

The case is being handled by Joe Milburn from CAIR-Chicago representing Kinza Khan while awaiting assignment before Judge or Magistrate Judge overseeing Case ID: 1:24-cv-05882.

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