Local Community Shows
Support for Vandalized Mosque
Anaheim, CA: The Southern California office
of Council on American-Islamic Relations and La Mirada mosque
held a press conference led by the interfaith community
to express solidarity and support for the mosque, which
was vandalized twice recently.
At the press conference on last Friday, members of the Muslim,
Christian and Jewish faiths spoke about the need for unity
at a time when events in the Middle East and foiling of
an alleged terror plot in Britain threaten to polarize Americans
and tear us apart.
“The damage done to our mosque has been replaced,
but it will take us time to regain the sense of security
and safety that was lost,” said Dr. Rezaur Rahman,
president of the mosque and Muslim Community Service, Inc.
“We are positive that with the tremendous support
we have received from our Jewish and Christian friends as
well as the law enforcement and City of La Mirada, we will
move on and come out of this more united.”
The mosques was vandalized initially after the alleged terror
plot in Britain was foiled. Suspects shot out two windows
of the mosque. In the second incident which occurred four
days later, the glass door of the facility was damaged.
“There is no better response to reassure the Muslim
community and promote tolerance and understanding in our
cities across the country than to stand together as a diverse
but united community,” said Affad Shaikh, civil rights
coordinator for CAIR-LA. “Together we declare zero
tolerance for those who harass, condemn or assault other
human beings.”
Other speakers at the news conference were the Rev. Ginny
Wagener – Executive Director of South Coast Interfaith
Council, Shakeel Syed – Executive Director of the
Islamic Shura Council of Southern California, Rabbi Lawrence
Goldmark - spiritual leader of Temple Beth Ohr in La Mirada,
Sireen Sawaf - Hate Crime Prevention Coordinator of Muslim
Public Affairs Council, and Lieutenant Alma Espinosa - Los
Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Norwalk-La Mirada
area.
Various media outlets covered the news conference.
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