Abdul El-Sayed Admits to Vandalism Over Beard Comments

In a recent podcast, Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed shared that he had vandalized property at a Detroit liquor store. This incident stemmed from an exchange he had regarding the length of his beard, which is significant in the Muslim community as a sign of religious observance.

El-Sayed recounted, “He asked, ‘Are you a Muslim?’ to which I replied, ‘Yes.’ He then remarked, ‘Well, your beard is too short.’ I thought, ‘Really? Are you going to judge me?'” He added, slightly shifting, “I then went back, got a fifth of vodka, and placed it on the counter. He said, ‘Dude, I can’t sell that.’ And I retorted, ‘Exactly, you can’t sell it.'” This led to him smashing the bottle on the ground before walking away.

This revelation could be leveraged by some Republicans in the highly scrutinized Senate race.

Hunter Lovell, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee, suggested that El-Sayed’s faith might be used offensively. “He seems to think he can use his religion to promote violent extremism,” Lovell claimed. He also expressed concern that voters might perceive El-Sayed as someone with emotional instability unfit for the Senate.

In response to inquiries about the liquor store incident, El-Sayed’s campaign didn’t specifically address it. Instead, spokeswoman Roxie Richner defended him, saying, “Yes, Abdul is angry on behalf of the people. Unlike Trump, who seems more preoccupied with social scenes, Abdul’s anger is about the exploitation of ordinary citizens.”

El-Sayed is up against a competitive three-way primary within the Democrat party, aiming to succeed retiring U.S. Senator Gary Peters. Voters will soon decide between him, progressive state Rep. Mallory McMorrow, and more centrist Rep. Haley Stevens.

Position-wise, El-Sayed identifies as the most left-leaning candidate among the trio, backing ideas like “Medicare for All” and free college. However, he faces backlash for his stance on U.S. relations with Israel, particularly amid the Gaza conflict. He has also drawn scrutiny for associating with political commentator Hasan Piker, who has made controversial statements regarding Hamas.

El-Sayed has clearly denounced any form of religious violence. In light of a recent attack on a synagogue in Michigan, he labeled it an “act of terrorism.”

“I completely condemn these actions. There’s never a justification for attacking innocent people or places of worship,” El-Sayed stated in a press release.

The Michigan Senate primary is scheduled for August 4th.