The New Jersey office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) today called on local and national law enforcement authorities to investigate the latest vandalism at a mosque construction site in that state as a possible hate crime. CAIR-NJ said vandals drew Nazi swastikas over the weekend on the Islamic Center of Ocean County under construction in Toms River, N.J. They also punched holes in the newly-erected walls of the mosque and left obscene and racist graffiti such as "hail Hitler." In addition, the perpetrators damaged the frame of the building and broke windows on a trailer at the site.
Mosque officials told CAIR-NJ that six previous attacks on the mosque have included uprooting plumbing, setting fire to the mosque sign and trailer, breaking windows, and tearing down walls. Damage from all of these incidents combined is estimated at $10,000 to 15,000. Local police have promised to consider installing surveillance cameras at the site and to increase patrols. "We all suffer when any house of worship is desecrated," said CAIR-NJ Executive Director Faiza Ali. "This vandalism seems to be part of an alarming increase in Islamophobic acts nationwide." |