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Arab News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Muslim leaders increase security after vandalism reports at Texas and California mosques
TEXAS: After a spate of vandalism reports involving graffiti at a few mosques in Texas and California, Muslim leaders there have stepped up existing efforts to keep their sacred spaces and community members safe. The incidents and subsequent hypervigilance add to what many American Muslims say has already been a charged climate amid the fallout in the US from the Israel-Hamas war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and devastated Gaza. The war started in October 2023 with a deadly attack by Hamas on Israel. 'The past two years have been extremely difficult for American Muslims,' said Edward Ahmed Mitchell, national deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization. A constant stream of images showing the death, destruction and ongoing starvation in Gaza has taken a toll, said Mitchell, as has a rise in anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian bigotry in the US Tomorrow, @CAIRAustin and leaders from the three mosques vandalized last week will hold a press conference condemning the attacks and inviting the public to a community gathering of solidarity on Thursday at Nueces Mosque. Press Conference Tuesday, May 27 | 11 AM CST … — CAIR National (@CAIRNational) May 26, 2025 He pointed to one of the most egregious examples of that bigotry: After the war started, an Illinois man killed a 6-year-old Palestinian American Muslim boy and wounded his mother in a hate-crime attack. Worry and frustration The recent vandalism reports have left some worried and frustrated — but not entirely surprised. 'Since October 2023, we've definitely seen rise in Islamophobia,' said Rawand Abdelghani, who is on the board of directors of Nueces Mosque, one of the affected mosques in Austin, Texas. 'Anti-Palestinian, anti-immigrant, all of that rhetoric that's being said … it has contributed to things like this happening.' Nueces security footage showed someone, their face partially covered, spray-painting what appears to be Star of David symbols at the property. CAIR Austin said similar incidents were reported at two other Austin mosques. They all seemingly happened on the same night in May, in what the group described as part of 'a disturbing pattern of hate-motivated incidents.' It called for increased security patrols and protective measures. Shaimaa Zayan, CAIR Austin operations manager, called them an intimidation attempt. Less than two weeks earlier, someone had spray-painted graffiti at the Islamic Center of Southern California, including the Star of David on an outer wall there, center spokesperson Omar Ricci said. 'In light of what's going on within Palestine and the genocide in Gaza, it felt like an attack,' said Ricci, who's also a reserve Los Angeles Police Department officer. Some specifics remained unresolved. The LAPD said it opened a vandalism/hate crime investigation and added extra patrols, but added it has neither a suspect nor a motive and noted that nonreligious spaces were also targeted. The Austin Police Department did not respond to Associated Press inquiries. Nueces had already increased its security camera use following three incidents last year, including someone throwing rocks at the mosque, Abdelghani said. After the May vandalism, it also added overnight security, she added. Nueces serves many university students and is considered a 'home away from home,' Abdelghani said. It's where they learn about their faith, meet other Muslims and find refuge, including during tense times, like when some students got arrested amid campus protests last year, she added. CAIR says that in 2024, its offices nationwide received 8,658 complaints, the highest number it has recorded since its first civil rights report in 1996. It listed employment discrimination as the most common in 2024. The group says last year, US Muslims, along with others of different backgrounds, 'were targeted due to their anti-genocide … viewpoints.' Referencing former President Joe Biden, the CAIR report said that for 'the second year in a row, the Biden-backed Gaza genocide drove a wave of Islamophobia in the United States.' Israel has strongly rejected allegations it's committing genocide in Gaza, where its war with Hamas has killed more than 59,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. The initial Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, killed some 1,200 people, while about 250 were abducted. Tensions in multiple spaces The war has fueled tensions in myriad US settings. After it started, Muslim and Jewish civil rights groups reported a surge of harassment, bias and physical assaults reports against their community members. Pew Research Center in February 2024 found that 70 percent of US Muslims and nearly 90 percent of US Jews surveyed say they felt an increase in discrimination against their respective communities since the war began. More recently, leaders of US Jewish institutions have called for more help with security after a firebomb attack in Colorado on demonstrators showing support for Israeli hostages in Gaza that left one person killed and others injured, as well as a fatal shooting of two Israeli Embassy staffers outside a Jewish museum in Washington, D.C. Politically, the conflict loomed over last year's presidential election, leaving many pro-Palestinian US voters feeling ignored by their own government's support for Israel. It has roiled campuses and sparked debates over free speech and where political rhetoric crosses into harassment and discrimination. There've been bitter disagreements, including among some Jewish Americans, about exactly what the definition of antisemitism should cover, and whether certain criticism of Israeli policies and Zionism should be included. That debate further intensified as President Donald Trump's administration sought to deport some foreign-born pro-Palestinian campus activists. The Islamic Center of Southern California has been targeted before, including vandalism in 2023 and separate threats that authorities said in 2016 were made by a man who was found with multiple weapons in his home. Incidents like the latest one cause concern, Ricci said. 'People see that it's not going to take very much to spark something in the city,' he said. 'There's a lot of emotion. There's a lot of passion' on both the pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli sides. Salam Al-Marayati, president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, said 'if people think they can get away with graffiti, then the next step is to firebomb a mosque or even go attack worshippers.' Opening doors and receiving support Al-Marayati and others praised how many have shown support for the affected Muslim communities. 'The best preparation is what we did in Los Angeles and that's to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our allies and be there for one another,' he said. In Texas, a gathering at Nueces brought together neighbors and others, including Christians and Jews, to paint over the vandalism, clean up the property and garden, Zayan said. 'It was beautiful,' she said. 'It's really important to open your doors and open your heart and invite people and to rebuild this trust and connection,' she said. 'For non-Muslims, it was a great opportunity for them to show their love and support. They really wanted to do something.'
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Austin mosques targeted in vandalism, prompting calls for heightened security
Three Austin mosques were reportedly vandalized late Wednesday night in what the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called a series of targeted hate incidents. The spray-painted graffiti, including Stars of David, appeared at Nueces Mosque, Islamic Ahlul Bayt Association (IABA), and the Austin Diyanet Center. Security footage from Nueces Mosque shows a masked white male tagging multiple areas, including the entrance, the Imam's office, and a nearby fence. Similar graffiti was later found at IABA's gate and billboards and at the Diyanet Center's entrance. CAIR-Austin noted these acts fit a 'disturbing pattern' of incidents against Muslim houses of worship in the city. Nueces Mosque has reported four hate-related incidents since October. 'These three incidents, which reportedly took place on the same night, were apparently targeted attacks meant to instill fear and division,' said CAIR-Austin Operations Manager Shaimaa Zayan. 'We call upon APD to urgently heighten security and surveillance around all Islamic Centers in Austin.' In response, the Austin Police Department said it is actively investigating the incidents and has increased patrols at all mosque locations. 'APD remains unwavering in its commitment to fostering a secure and inclusive Austin community,' said Public Information Manager Lisa Cortinas. Nueces Mosque board member Rawand Abdelghani said the mosque has long served the Muslim student population at the University of Texas at Austin and regularly hosts interfaith events. 'We are deeply concerned about these recent incidents given the rise in Islamophobia, anti-immigrant sentiment, and opposition to students' free speech,' he said. CAIR has urged mosque leaders to follow its 'Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety' guide and encouraged anyone with information to contact authorities. (This story was updated to add a video.) This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin mosques vandalized, police investigating, increasing patrols
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Austin mosques targeted by vandalism, CAIR-Austin says
The Brief Three mosques in Austin were reportedly vandalized CAIR-Austin said the incidents happened late on May 22 The Austin Diyanet Center, Nueces and IABA mosques were targeted AUSTIN, Texas - CAIR-Austin is calling for more security after three mosques were targeted by vandalism. The backstory The Austin chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Austin) is calling on the Austin Police Department to increase security patrols around Nueces Mosque, Islamic Ahlul Bayt Association (IABA), and other Austin mosques. This comes after the Austin Diyanet Center, Nueces, and IABA mosques were targeted by vandalism. CAIR-Austin said on May 22, around 11:30 p.m., Nueces Mosque leadership found spray-painted symbols, including the Stars of David, on the mosque's main entrance and other surrounding areas. Video shared by CAIR-Austin showed a white man with a covered face spray-painting the porch doors, the Imam's office door, and the fence. IABA's billboards and gate were also targeted. The Austin Diyanet Center's billboard and entrance door were vandalized as well. CAIR-Austin said Nueces Mosque has reported four hate incidents since late October 2024. What they're saying In a statement, Shaimaa Zayan, CAIR-Austin Operations Manager said: "These two incidents, which reportedly took place at the same night, were apparently targeted attacks meant to instill fear and division. One of the mosques affected, Nueces Mosque, serves as a vital spiritual and cultural center for UT Austin university students. The impact of such hateful acts on young minds cannot be overstated. We call upon APD to urgently heighten security and surveillance around all Islamic Centers in Austin. We also urge members of the public who may recognize the perpetrator or have any relevant information to come forward immediately and contact authorities." The Austin Police Department also released a statement: "The Austin Police Department is aware of several incidents of vandalism at local Austin mosques. We are actively investigating these incidents and are closely monitoring these and other locations around the City. As we continue to investigate, APD has set up directed patrols at all mosque locations. We strongly encourage our community to come forward and report any suspicious activity. Please follow the method of "See Something, Say Something." Should you observe any suspicious activities or become aware of potential threats, it is imperative you report them by calling 9-1-1. We all belong in this community. APD remains unwavering in its commitment to fostering a secure and inclusive Austin community. Our ongoing efforts aim to ensure a community where every member feels safe, valued, and respected. The City of Austin's "We All Belong" campaign highlights our dedication to fostering a diverse culture where hatred is not tolerated. For more information on tools and resources to report hate crimes and related incidents, visit Big picture view CAIR says the Islamic Center of Southern California in Los Angeles was also vandalized earlier this month. The Source Information from CAIR-Austin and the Austin Police Department
