Study Finds San Diego Muslims Have Long Felt Unsafe
One month after the deadly May 18 terrorist attack at the Islamic Center of San Diego, a suspicious incident involving a vehicle displaying a Nazi flag near the mosque renewed fear and trauma within the Muslim community.
Although police determined there was no active threat, community leaders say the incident highlights ongoing concerns about anti-Muslim hate and the need for increased security and prevention efforts.
The recent UC San Diego survey found that 88% of local Muslims feel less safe since the attack, underscoring calls for stronger protections, support services, and action to combat Islamophobia.
The new study from UC San Diego’s US Immigration Policy Center surveyed 312 local Muslim San Diegans, with 88% of them saying they feel less safe since last month's shooting. It's part of why the call for state security funding has been renewed.
Nizam says her community has asked Governor Gavin Newsom's office for $20 million to fund safety across the county's 22 mosques. They also want significant investments in the study of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hate.
"That is what is at the root cause of the terrorist attack on May 18," Nizam said.
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"There has to be a significant investment in the physical security measures, but also an investment into dismantling the reason why this happened and making sure it never happens again."
The timing, she says, cannot be ignored. “Being a target of hate incidents is something that the Muslim community knows too well," Nizam said.
Source: ca.cair.com
