The San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento offices of the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SFBA, CAIR-SV/CC) today condemned a reported attempted hate crime arson targeting a church in Novato and an alleged hate crime shooting targeting the home of a Hispanic family in Igo.
Novato police arrested a woman who reportedly tried to set the North Bay Christ Church on fire on Saturday. Multiple small structures, including a nativity scene, Star of David, and cross were burned, resulting in approximately $2,000 in damage. The woman admitted that religious bias motivated her to start the fire. She was charged with a hate crime and felony arson.
Last Tuesday, a man allegedly drove to a Hispanic family’s home in Igo, shouted racial slurs, and fired multiple shotgun rounds as the family fled into their home. The man was arrested that night at his nearby residence and faces 17 charges related to the attack, most of which are enhanced under California hate crime laws.
“We condemn any act of hate targeting members of faith and minority communities,” said Reshad Noorzay, Executive Director of CAIR-SV/CC. “Americans of all faiths and backgrounds must be free to go about their daily lives without fear of bias-motivated attacks.”
“We thank law enforcement authorities for charging the alleged perpetrators of these disturbing acts of bigotry with hate crime charges and hope it serves as a deterrent to others who would act on their bigotry,” said CAIR-SFBA Executive Director Zahra Billoo. “We stand in solidarity with all communities targeted by violent bigotry.”
She added that CAIR and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging antisemitism, systemic anti-Black racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, white supremacy, and all other forms of bigotry.
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CONTACT: CAIR-SFBA Communications Manager Lorrie Adam, ladam@cair.com, 408.498.5779; CAIR-Sacramento Executive Director Reshad Noorzay, 916-610-5076, rnoorzay@cair.com