Twin Falls Mosque Vandalized, Advocacy Group Seeks Hate Crime Investigation
TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KLIX) – The country’s largest Muslim rights and civil advocacy group is asking state and federal authorities to investigate the vandalism of a Twin Falls mosque as a hate crime.
Twin Falls police said they have found no evidence that the vandalism that occurred Wednesday night at the Islamic Center of Twin Falls is a hate crime, but the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said Friday that it wants it investigated as such.
“Due to the spike in hate incidents targeting American Muslims and other minority groups, and the past targeting of this house of worship, we urge local, state and federal enforcement authorities to investigate the possibility of a bias motive in this case,” CAIR Communications Manager Naaz Modan said in a news release.
The vandalism that occurred on Halloween night involved at least one shattered window, according to the news release, but another window also was damaged.
Last year, a cross with pig parts was found in the Islamic Center's parking lot. CAIR asked the Muslim communities on Thursday to increase security at the facilities across the country.