Investigators in Glen Ellen, Virginia are investigating the second incident of vandalism in six months at the West End Islamic Center.
“This attack is incredibly hurtful,” the mosque said in a statement on its website. “It’s hard to imagine that someone would want to attack our place of worship. We do not know or understand the motivation of the person(s). What we do know, is that love is stronger than hate, and the members of our Mosque will stand together. We trust that our neighbors and friends will continue to stand with us and support our community as we worship during this holy month of Ramadan.”
The Henrico County Police Department told WRIC they responded to the scene Saturday and found graffiti, broken windows, flipped chairs, and broken items.
The Council on American Islamic Relations is calling on mosques in Virginia and across the country to take extra security precautions. It is also asking authorities to investigate this as a possible hate crime.
“We call on law enforcement to swiftly investigate this crime and increase patrols in the area until those responsible are apprehended,” said CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell. “Because the attackers vandalized the mosque without stealing anything, law enforcement should also investigate a possible bias motive for this incident. Everyone in our nation, regardless of faith, must be free to worship without the threat of harassment or violence.”
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