Victim-blaming: Mayor Bowser gets called out by both sides of the political spectrum over VILE tweet on how to prevent carjackings

One thing that the murder of Mohammad Anwar during a carjacking by two teens has done is shine a bright light on D.C.’s crime surge in the past year.

It’s bad, to say the least:

"The death of Mohammad Anwar, a 66-year-old immigrant from Pakistan who lived in Virginia & was working as a driver for Uber Eats, comes amid a wave of carjackings that began last year in the District and in suburban Maryland, and is continuing this year"https://t.co/ndebU5sRPF pic.twitter.com/Egav2ozGdK

— Hamza Shaban (@hshaban) March 27, 2021

Authorities have said “delivery and ride-hail drivers have been particularly vulnerable”:

"police experts are blaming [the carjackings] in part on the pandemic that has closed schools and youth programs, and made outreach and monitoring more difficult.

Delivery and ride-hail drivers have been particularly vulnerable, according to authorities"https://t.co/ndebU5sRPF

— Hamza Shaban (@hshaban) March 27, 2021

With that said, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser called “auto theft a crime of opportunity” and shared these five tips that do nothing to help “delivery and ride-hail drivers” while, at the same time, blaming the victim for what’s happening.

The five tips are: 1. Park in a safe spot, 2. Lock your car, 3. Keep track of your keys, 4. Never leave your engine running and 5. Stay alert:

https://twitter.com/MayorBowser/status/1376157272276135942

What an awful, awful tweet:

Are you actually blaming the victim????? https://t.co/VZuFBHOBjw

— BiasedGirl (@BiasedGirl) March 28, 2021

#MuhammadAnwar was in his car when 2 women murdered him in a carjacking gone wrong.

In response, DC's Mayor posts this tweet about how to prevent auto theft.

I believe this is what's called "victim blaming."

Why don't we just teach teenagers not to carjack and murder, hm? https://t.co/xQmZCPxrfB

— Lauren Chen (@TheLaurenChen) March 28, 2021

What is next? Be careful how you dress, ladies?

— Heather Champion (@winningatmylife) March 28, 2021

Her tweet is so bad that it’s bringing together people from both sides of the political spectrum.

.@MayorBowser:
In LA '94, I was carjacked, kidnapped at gunpoint, assaulted & brutally beaten to blackout by a gun butt, breaking my zygomatic arch & permanently altering my face. Car was parked on a quiet, upscale residential street. LOCKED. The gun to my head was their key. https://t.co/vPM5MetfNf

— Melissa Jo Peltier (@MelissaJPeltier) March 28, 2021

“This level of victim blaming is beyond disgusting”:

I was assaulted by a stranger in broad daylight in Bowser’s DC while walking home from work in Nov 2019. Was that a “crime of opportunity” because my skirt was too short @MayorBowser? This level of victim blaming is beyond disgusting. https://t.co/BKRt8Wkw23

— Tiana Lowe (@TianaTheFirst) March 28, 2021

It really is quite an accomplishment when we’re doing a post on a tweet and quoting from Mollie Hemingway. . .

DC's @MayorBowser, who encouraged months of "Defund the Police" riots in DC last year, responds to the murder of UberEats driver Mohammad Anwar by 13- and 15-year-old female carjackers with a shockingly tone-deaf message of how to prevent auto thefts in her city. https://t.co/mOHVUIf9De

— Mollie (@MZHemingway) March 28, 2021

. . .and Jill Filipvoic at the same time:

Just unbelievable. Even if Mohammed Anwar had not been recently killed in one of these carjackings, the onus is not on the victims of crimes to "protect your auto." Carjackings are a huge problem in DC, and it's often delivery drivers (who are often immigrants) who are targeted. https://t.co/tTxnVlL3ih

— Jill Filipovic (@JillFilipovic) March 28, 2021

This is EXACTLY what she’s saying: