Groups Calls For Investigation Into 'Hate Crime' Vandalism
STERLING HEIGHTS (WWJ) - The local Council on American-Islamic Relations is asking for a "hate crime" investigation into the vandalism at a Sikh house of worship in Sterling Heights.
Despite the fact that it's not a mosque, someone spray painted anti-Muslim sentiments on the building which is under construction on Dequindre north of 14 Mile, including a misspelling of the name of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, along with the misspelled message "Don't Build."
The vandalism took place sometime between Sunday evening and Monday morning.
"We condemn the vandalism of the Sikh house of worship in Sterling Heights and call on local and federal law enforcement to use their full resources to apprehend the perpetrators of this hate crime," said CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid, in a statement.
According to Walid, there have been a number of hate crimes since 9/11 in which Sikhs have been mistaken to be Muslims.
