Chicago police are investigating an act of vandalism at the Downtown Islamic Center as a possible hate crime.
Staff at the center tells NBC Chicago a man acting belligerently followed several women inside and yelled anti-Muslim rhetoric at around 8 p.m. on Sunday.
Surveillance video also captures him kicking the front door. He returns moments later with an object and shatters the glass before running off.
"It’s really sad that incidents like this continue to take place. We really feel houses of worship, all houses of worship, are a beacon, a safe space for all of the community," said Salman Azam, an executive board member at the Downtown Islamic Center.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
"We’ve seen a spike in Islamophobia and hate crimes since the Israel-Hamas conflict started in the fall, but this incident last night shows us that threats to Muslims are still a big problem here," he continued.
The mosque was busier than usual at night due to an evening communal prayer known as the Taraweeh prayer, recited during the Holy month of Ramadan.
On Monday afternoon, broken glass was still visible on the front door, but the damage didn't appear to deter those arriving for afternoon prayer, including Emaad Masdoor, who said he's disappointed by the act but not surprised.
Local
"This is not the first time this has happened to me. I’m from Louisville, and a couple years back at the mosque I used to go to, it was vandalized with spray paint," said Masdoor.
"It’s one thing to spread so much hate, it's another thing when its rooted in so much misinformation," he said.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations is urging state and federal law enforcement to investigate the vandalism as a hate crime.
"One of the many fixtures of Ramadan is communal nightly prayer, where people come together to reflect on all the blessings we have," said Ahmed Rehab, the executive director of CAIR Chicago. "For this to happen right at this time of peace and meditation further exacerbates the horror this was."
CAIR tracks reports of anti-Muslim incidents, and found that in the last three months of 2023, there was a 178% increase in complaints.
"Unfortunately, every time we see news headlines focus on things like 9-11 or the Muslim ban or now the war in Gaza, we see a reaction here on the streets of the U.S., a rise in anti-Muslim incidents," said Rehab.
CAIR is encouraging mosques to implement full time security, ensure all cameras are working and lock doors at all times.
The Chicago Police Department said it is investigating the incident as a possible hate crime. Police stated they are in contact with the mosque and working to identify the individual responsible. It remains an open investigation.
