CAIR-MN Calls For Investigation After Car Was Vandalized Outside Mankato Mosque
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Minnesota Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations is calling on authorities in southern Minnesota to investigate a possible bias crime over the weekend targeting worshippers at a Mankato mosque.
According to CAIR-MN, officials with the Mankato Islamic Center reported that two vandals spray-painted offensive words early Saturday morning on a car belonging to one of the mosque's members.
"We call on the local, state and federal law enforcement authorities to investigate a possible bias motive for this latest vandalism targeting a worshiper's vehicle," CAIR-MN executive director Jaylani Hussein said, in a statement. "We are seeing increased hate crimes against Muslims in rural communities and are asking community and faith leaders to condemn this rise in hate crimes targeting Minnesota Mosques."
Surveillance video captured the vandalism. According to the Mankato Islamic Center's Facebook page, the footage showed a man and a woman vandalizing the car. The video was turned over to law enforcement. The mosque asked anyone with information on the vandalism to contact Mankato police.
Earlier this year, a mosque in Moorhead was spray-painted with hate speech and a swastika. Benjamin Enderle, 22, was charged with criminal damage to property and harassment with bias.