The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) today expressed solidarity with the Jewish community after an apparent hate crime targeting a synagogue in Irvine early Wednesday morning.
According to the Orange County Register, a vandal scrawled “(Expletive) Jews” in red on the façade at Congregation Beth Jacob in Irvine. A spokesperson for the Irvine Police Department said the incident was being investigated as a hate crime.
The temple’s surveillance cameras reportedly showed a man wearing a hoodie with his face covered in a surgical mask, jumping over the fence and spray-painting the hateful message on the wall.
READ: Irvine synagogue vandalized early Wednesday morning; police investigating as a hate crime
https://www.ocregister.com/2018/10/31/jewish-temple-in-irvine-vandalized-tuesday-night/
In a statement, CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush said:
“We stand in solidarity with the Jewish community and against the actions of bigots who violate our nation’s long-standing principles of religious tolerance and inclusion. Less than a week after the tragic shooting in Pittsburgh, the hatred and harassment at houses of worship continues. As we have stated many times, an attack on any house of worship is an attack on all houses of worship. We will continue to stand up and defend our fellow community members in the face of xenophobia and bigotry.”
CAIR-LA is Southern California’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
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CONTACT: CAIR-LA Communications Manager Eugene W. Fields, 714-776-1847 or efields@cair.com