CAIR MN drops activist Shaun King as keynote speak of its Ramadan fundraiser

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR MN) says it has listened to community concerns and has made a change for its upcoming fundraising.

The organization announced Thursday that activist and author Shaun King would be the keynote speaker for its 17th annual Ramadan Fundraising Dinner.  

Hours later, CAIR MN dropped King from the event and released this statement on social media:

We have heard concerns expressed — directly and indirectly — by our community regarding Shaun King being the keynote at your annual Iftar Fundraiser. We have made the decision to not have Shaun King as the keynote speaker for our upcoming annual fundraising dinner. This has become a distraction from the sole purpose of our event — to support the work of protecting and advancing the civil liberties of Muslims in Minnesota, especially in these challenging times. We appreciate your feedback and are committed to ensuring our focus remains on our mission. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.

King, who came to prominence during the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement, has been the focus of several controversies over the past decades. Reporting from outlets such as the Washington Post and Newsweek have highlighted accusations that he's misused funds raised for causes such as helping orphans in Haiti and the families of Black Americans killed by police.

Last October, King was also criticized for claiming to have played a role in the release of two Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

It is unclear who, if anyone, will replace King as the keynote speaker at the event, which will be held Sunday in Minneapolis at the University of Minnesota's Coffman Union Memorial Hall.