Email: press@wmcalliance.org

The Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance (WMCA) calls for the resignation of New Berlin Mayor Dave Ament amidst reports of anti-Muslim content he allegedly shared publicly on Facebook. Over recent weeks, Mayor Ament has shared multiple posts disparaging Islam and Muslims, including content suggesting that Muslims elected to public office are “traitors” and content questioning whether Muslim Americans can be loyal citizens.

One post shared by Ament states: “America needs to shut down all Mosques and ban Islam.” Another shared post, which contains both Islamophobic and antisemitic content, states “How to protect your house from terr0rism” and shows a woman pointing to a piece of bacon hanging on a door handle. A different post states, “If you vote for a Muslim for elected office in this country, you are a traitor. You can’t convince me otherwise.”

As the elected leader of a diverse Wisconsin city, Mayor Ament has a responsibility to represent and serve all of his constituents, including Muslim residents and their families. Amplifying rhetoric that frames an entire faith community as a threat is inconsistent with that responsibility and has no place in the public conduct of an elected official. This rhetoric is dangerous and leads to a climate of further intolerance of Muslims, immigrants, and other marginalized communities. 

“It is deeply disturbing to see a sitting Mayor engage with content that dehumanizes his Muslim constituents,” said Fauzia Qureshi, Executive Director of WMCA. “New Berlin residents, including Muslim residents, deserve a leader who leads with dignity and not someone who incites fear and hatred.”

We call on Mayor Ament to resign from office, take responsibility for his actions, and publicly apologize for sharing the hateful content. We further call on all New Berlin elected officials to take action and hold Mayor Ament accountable.

The Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance will continue to monitor this situation and engage with New Berlin residents and officials to ensure Muslim Wisconsinites are treated with the dignity and respect owed to every constituent.

About WMCA:

The Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance is dedicated to empowering communities through advocacy, civic engagement, and the promotion of policies that reflect the values of equity, inclusion, and justice.

For media inquiries or further information, please contact: press@wmcalliance.org