Quran Desecration in New York Draws Condemnation
The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY), a chapter of the United States’ largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, on Sunday condemned the reported attempt to desecrate a Brooklyn mosque with feces and torn pages torn from the Quran, Islam’s holy text.
According to law enforcement authorities, a suspect targeted the Islamic Mission of America in Brooklyn Heights by throwing pages from the Quran on the front steps of the building and then returned to smear what police said was feces on the door. The suspect wore a black skullcap and a black face mask hanging down below his chin. The March 9 incident is being investigated as a hate crime.
In a statement, CAIR-NY Executive Director Afaf Nasher, Esq., said:
“This reported act of attempted desecration is deeply disturbing and reflects a blatant act of hate targeting a house of worship. We commend law enforcement authorities for investigating this incident as a hate crime and urge a swift and thorough investigation to hold the perpetrator accountable. No community should have to fear harassment or attack because of their religious beliefs.
“We reaffirm our commitment to protecting the civil rights and dignity of all people. Acts of hate have no place in our society, and we must collectively reject and confront bigotry in all its forms.”
CAIR offers a “Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety” booklet, which offers advice on how to help keep religious facilities safe. The advice in the booklet is applicable to houses of worship of all faiths.
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On Friday, Washington, D.C., based CAIR and CAIR-NY welcomed the reported disruption of a plot to firebomb the home of New York-based Palestinian activist Nerdeen Kiswani.
According to CAIR’s most recent civil rights report, complaints of anti-Muslim bias and discrimination have continued to rise nationwide, reflecting an ongoing pattern of Islamophobia impacting communities across the country.
Source: Cair.com
