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On Wednesday during Eid al-Fitr, the Islamic religious celebration that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, the Muslim Chaplaincy house at Rutgers University (CILRU) in New Brunswick was vandalized overnight.
In a statement posted to the Center for Islamic Life’s Facebook page, the CILRU said that the vandalism included destruction of art pieces with Quranic verses, shattered windows and TVs, broken printers, and the destruction of a Palestinian flag.
The statement claims that the act is targeted and driven by hate.
“This reprehensible act, occurring on our sacred day, is undoubtedly fueled by Islamophobia is clearly a hate crime targeting our Muslim population at Rutgers,” the Center posted to social media.
According to CNN, the Rutgers University Police Department found that no one was inside the area during the burglary, so the suspect forced their way into the building and proceeded to damage the valuable items. They are currently investigating the incident as burglary, criminal mischief, and a bias crime. The Police Department released a statement condemning the acts of intolerance and xenophobia on campus.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy echoed similar sentiments on Twitter, calling for safety for the university’s Muslim students, according to ABC7.
“There is a criminal investigation underway and we are working with Rutgers and law enforcement to ensure the safety of our Muslim students. Islamophobia has NO place in New Jersey,” the Governor said.
According to NBC Philadelphia, the police have not released descriptions of any suspects, and any information about the incident can be reported to the Rutgers University Police Department’s Detective Bureau at 848-932-8025.
Any bias related incidents can also be reported to NJBIAS website or by calling 1-800-277-BIAS.
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