The San Diego office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-San Diego) today condemned a series of hate crime vandalism incidents in several San Diego neighborhoods and urged community leaders to speak out against rising bigotry nationwide.
The vandalism included graffiti containing slurs targeting specific religions on churches and religious shrines of different faiths.
In a statement, CAIR-San Diego Executive Director Tazheen Nizam said:
“These cowardly acts of hate and religious intolerance have no place in our city or in any other community. We stand in solidarity with the affected faith communities and reaffirm our commitment to defending the rights and dignity of all people to worship freely and safely.
“We urge city officials, interfaith leaders, and community members to speak out boldly against this disturbing trend of bigotry and religiously motivated attacks. Hate, in any form, must be confronted with unity, justice, and compassion.”
She added that CAIR offers a “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.
CAIR-San Diego is a chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization. CAIR’s mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-San Diego Executive Director Tazheen Nizam, tnizam@cair.com 760-201-7626