(SAN DIEGO, CA., 9/29/2020) – The San Diego chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-San Diego) today expressed solidarity with the Catholic community of El-Cajon following the vandalism of two churches late Friday night.
According to the San Diego Sherriff’s office, the exteriors of both churches were vandalized with Nazi swastikas, and one church also was tagged with political images.
SEE: Sheriff Investigating After Swastikas Sprayed on Two Catholic Churches in El Cajon
In a statement, CAIR-San Diego Operations & Development Manager Omair Khan said:
“We are saddened to hear about the vandalism the two church communities experienced and express our solidarity with our Christian brothers and sisters as they are targeted by hate. All houses of worship are sacred, and worshipers deserve to remain free of attack or intimidation. We pray that no further abuse or vandalism is directed toward the community and hope law enforcement authorities can quickly identify the suspect and serve justice.”
Khan is urging community members to report any religious discrimination remarks or actions to CAIR-SD’s Civil Rights Department by filing a report at: https://ca.cair.com/sandiego/what-we-do/legal-services/report-an-incident/
In a statement by the Muslim Leadership Council of San Diego (a coalition of Muslim organizations that CAIR SD is part of), they said:
“An attack on any faith space is an attack on all faith spaces. We stand in strong solidarity with the communities of St. Peters Chaldean Catholic Cathedral and Our Mother of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, hate has no place in our community “.
Washington, D.C., based CAIR urges religious institutions of all faiths to take measures outlined in its “Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety” booklet. Advice offered in CAIR’s security publication is applicable to all institutions, regardless of organizational mission.
CAIR: Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-best-practices-for-mosque-and-community-safety/
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR-SD Operations & Development Manager Omair Khan, 619-880-4601 or okhan@cair.com