The North Carolina office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on law enforcement authorities to investigate apparently bias-motivated vandalism of a mosque in that state as a hate crime.
That vandalism targeting Al-Mu’minun Masjid in Statesville, North Carolina, reportedly included the phrase “go home,” a cross, a scribbled image of a dead pig, and the number 1683 spray-painted on the side of the mosque, an apparent reference the year of a battle between Muslims and Christians in Europe.
[NOTE: “Masjid” is the Arabic word for “mosque.” Muslims are prohibited from consuming pork products and bigots often use pigs or pork to offend Muslim sensibilities.]
“We call on local, state and federal law enforcement authorities to investigate this apparently bias-motivated attack on a house of worship as a hate crime and urge elected officials and community leaders to condemn the growing bigotry nationwide that inevitably results in these types of incidents,” said CAIR-NC Community Engagement Manager Al Rieder. “No one should have to fear harassment or intimidation for simply practicing their faith.”
He added that Washington, D.C., based CAIR is urging community leaders to utilize its “Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety” booklet to help keep religious facilities safe. The advice in the booklet is applicable to all houses of worship.
Earlier this year, CAIR released its 2025 Civil Rights Report, Unconstitutional Crackdowns, which reveals that Islamophobia remains at record-high levels nationwide.
Over the weekend, CAIR called on state leaders to condemn a reported bomb threat targeting a Lexington, Kentucky, Islamic school.
CAIR’s Michigan chapter (CAIR-MI) also encouraged Dearborn residents of all faiths to ignore a planned anti-Muslim march, calling it an “Islamophobic publicity stunt.” An anti-Muslim activist claims he planned the march next Tuesday “to protect Americans from Sharia law.”
CAIR-MI recently welcomed the arrest of an Illinois man who allegedly made threats targeting a Dearborn Heights mosque.
Also recently,CAIR-MI called for stepped-up police protection for mosques and Islamic institutions in that state after law enforcement authorities identified a person of interest from Texas who allegedly made threatening calls to the Islamic Institute of America in Dearborn Heights.
That statement came just one day after CAIR-MI welcomed terrorism charges filed against a Virginia-based white supremacist who allegedly threatened to “kill Muslims” at a Michigan mosque.
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CONTACT: CAIR-NC Community Engagement Manager Al Rieder, 202-742-6421, arieder@cair.com; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com