The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) today condemned the desecration of a Qur’an, Islam’s sacred text, by an individual posted to a Reddit page for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). It also echoed calls by the UCLA Muslim Student Association (MSA) to address the alarming rise of Islamophobia on campus.
On Thursday, May 15, several posts were reportedly made to the r/UCLA Reddit page that included anti-Islam rhetoric, including an unnamed individual stepping on a copy of the Qur’an, ripping out pages, and flushing them down the toilet while allegedly calling on students to take part. The posts were made by multiple anonymous accounts but appear to show the same individual.
An unidentified individual was also reportedly seen on campus, allegedly shouting inflammatory remarks at students participating in a pro-Palestinian demonstration at Dickson Court North, including “Islam teaches to kill the infidels” and equating Islam with terrorism. It is not confirmed whether this individual is affiliated with UCLA or if the incident was connected to the online posts.
The UCLA MSA called on university leadership to address the recent incident and the broader rise of Islamophobia on campus over the past year.
In an emailed statement to university leadership, the UCLA MSA said:
“Muslim students have also reported being called ‘terrorists,’ ‘baby-killers,’ and ‘rapists’ among other comments by both students and non-university affiliates over the past couple of months. This kind of rhetoric, when amplified online, fuels harmful stereotypes and legitimizes bigotry, making Muslim students even more vulnerable to targeted harassment and violence. It creates a dangerous narrative that dehumanizes an entire community, fostering an environment of fear and alienation on campus.
“We … ask that the university release a public statement acknowledging the rise in Islamophobic incidents, reaffirming its commitment to protecting Muslim students, and outlining immediate steps being taken to ensure their safety and well-being.”
In a statement, CAIR-LA Civil Rights Managing Attorney Dina Chehata, Esq., said:
“The disturbing actions, including desecrating the Qur’an, are not isolated acts. This is part of a broader pattern of unchecked Islamophobia that the UCLA administration has failed to address, undermining the safety and sense of belonging for Muslim students on campus. Leadership is quick to criminalize those who speak in support of Palestinian human rights, responding to peaceful protests with militarized police forces, but continues to turn a blind eye to Islamophobia happening on campus.
“UCLA failed to protect its students against violence from pro-Israel extremists and law enforcement last spring, and by staying silent, it will continue to fail its students and further embolden anti-Muslim rhetoric and hate. Immediate, decisive action is needed to prevent further harm to students.”
Islamophobia and harassment targeting Muslim students have increased on college campuses statewide. CAIR California’s recent Campus Climate Report found that 49% of Muslim college students across California experienced harassment or discrimination due to their Muslim identity and that 65% of schools failed to address significant issues impacting Muslim students.
In August 2024, CAIR and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee designated UCLA as an “institution of particular concern” due to its creation of a hostile campus environment for Palestinian, Muslim, Arab, and Jewish students, staff, and faculty opposing Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza.
The UCLA Taskforce on Anti-Palestinian, Anti-Arab, & Anti-Muslim Racism has issued three reports outlining the pattern of targeted discrimination and harassment of UCLA students and faculty speaking on Palestine and offered several recommendations, which UCLA has reportedly ignored.
CAIR-LA is Southern California’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-LA Communications Manager Enjy El-Kadi, (714) 851-4851 or eelkadi@cair.com; CAIR-LA Senior Communications Coordinator Madi Morse-Hameed, mmorse-hameed@cair.com