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Fadel Alkilani: Cops stopped student senator from desecrating 9/11 memorial earlier

Fadel Alkilani was seen snatching some 3K miniature flags from a 9/11 memorial site in a viral video

Fadel Alkilani made headlines on September 12 for a shocking gesture of snatching almost 3000 US flags commemorating the 9/11 attack victims on the tragedy's 20th anniversary. Alkilani, who has been identified as a student state finance committee chair at the Washington University was also seen discarding the flags in trash bags and has since even issued a statement defending his activities.

This year marked the 20th anniversary of the terror attacks by al-Qaeda who planned on attacking four significant US buildings. Terrorists hijacked four planes four planes for this. An American Airlines flight and a United Airlines one had hit the North Tower and South Tower of the World Trade Center respectively. A third flight hit the Pentagon and a fourth one, allegedly intended for the White House, crashed in Pennsylvania killing all on board. Alkilani reportedly filled blue blags with miniature flags intended for the 9/11 memorial: Never Forget Project. A viral video on Twitter shows Alkilani in the act as a cameraman confronts him.

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What is Fadel Alkilani's age?

Alkilani's age hasn't been revealed in public. In the viral video, he confronts the cameraman back, asking: ‘Who are you?’ The person behind the camera, a member of the college’s College Republican, calls Alkilani “unapologetic”, adding he was in clear “violation of school rules.” At first Alkilani says, "I did not violate any university or legal policy. Now go." But he has allegedly since bragged on now-private Twitter about his act, which he claimed was made in “protest against US imperialism and the 900,000 lives lost as a result of the post-9/11 war.”

A total of 2,977 American flags were snatched by Alkilani, who has since addressed the ample social media flak over his gesture on Instagram, saying: "The Republicans are attacking me in the responses." Attached was a post of the University of Washington Instagram account. A later statement continued: "there is currently a mass harassment campaign propagated primarily by Republicans from Washington University College, as well as the National Young America's Foundation (YAF) regarding an incident that occurred around 6 am on Saturday, September 11, 2021."

What does Alkilani study?

Alkilani is identified as a student committee chair at Washington University's School of Engineering & Applied Science. Since the incident, he alleged a “large amount of misinformation” was being circulated in the media. His peers including the university's College Republicans President Nick Rodriguez, however, demand his immediate expulsion.

“At the very least, I think you should be removed from both the SU [student union] and your [resident advisor] position, because what does it mean to be a top-notch American institution, and be represented by a student leader who doesn’t? Does he have respect? For property, campus traditions, or the memory of thousands of lives lost," the president wrote. “Today is about remembering the tragedy, 20 years ago, not making a political statement. Any motive that I can conjure up to remove the flags seems ridiculous to me.”

Criticizing his acts, Julie Flory, vice chancellor for marketing and communications at the university, said in a statement: “We were disappointed to hear about the interruption of the 9/11 exhibit at Mudd Field. We condemn the interference in the expression of support of the Republican Colleges for the victims of the national tragedy that took place today 20 years ago.” Alkilani had allegedly also tried to desecrate the monument the night before on Friday, but was stopped by campus police.