‘Hurt people hurt people’: El-Sayed apologizes for offering ‘broader perspective’ on attack targeting Jews
El-Sayed condemned the attack at the time but complicated his message by declaring that “violence is a cycle” and that “hurt people hurt people"
Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed apologized to the Jewish community Saturday, conceding that his response to an attack on a Detroit-area synagogue had caused further pain at an already traumatic moment.
“I should have issued a statement, of course condemning it, and it just should have been the full stop,” El-Sayed told the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus during the party’s convention in Lansing.
The dispute began after a man deliberately drove a truck into Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township in March, injuring a security guard. Authorities said the synagogue was targeted because it was Jewish.
El-Sayed condemned the attack at the time but complicated his message by declaring that “violence is a cycle” and that “hurt people hurt people.” Jewish Democrats accused him of appearing to rationalize an antisemitic attack instead of focusing on its victims.
On Saturday, the candidate admitted that his attempt to provide “broader context” had been misplaced.
“I made a mistake,” El-Sayed said. “If my statement caused pain, I’m sorry. That was not what I intended."
"We condemned that terrorist attack. We condemned it outright. What I was trying to do is offer context for why it happened, but it wasn’t the time for context."
The apology comes as El-Sayed tries to overcome skepticism among Jewish voters ahead of a potentially decisive November election. Michigan’s contest could help determine which party controls the US Senate.
El-Sayed is also under pressure over his previous campaign appearances with anti-Israel streamer Hasan Piker. Senior Democrats condemned Piker after he suggested that American Jews could face retaliation if they continued to present themselves as uniquely committed to Israel.
Although El-Sayed said he has “no plans” to campaign with Piker during the general election, some Jewish Democrats want him to reject the commentator more forcefully.
Caucus members welcomed the apology over the synagogue remarks, but concerns about El-Sayed’s alliances and positions on Israel have not disappeared.