The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY), a chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned hate vandalism targeting a Church in upper Manhattan.
On Sunday, Church members found that vandals had written explicit words, strange markings, and spray painted a statue.
SEE: Hate graffiti, defaced statue found at historic NYC church: police
CAIR-NY Executive Director Afaf Nasher, Esq., stated:
“We condemn this apparently bias-motivated vandalism and urge all public officials and community leaders to speak out against the rising bigotry that inevitably results in such attempts at religious intimidation.”
She urged all houses of worship to refer to CAIR’s Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety guide, which contains security advice applicable to institutions of all faiths.
Nasher said CAIR and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging systemic anti-Black racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, white supremacy, antisemitism, and all other forms of bigotry.
END
CONTACT: Afaf Nasher, Esq., CAIR-NY Executive Director, 917-669-4006, anasher@cair.com;
Saira Amar, MPA, Communications Coordinator