The San Francisco Bay Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SFBA), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today issued a formal complaint letter to San Bruno Mayor Rico Medina expressing deep concern over city officials’ refusal to let Muslim constituents attending the March 12 city council meeting break their fast and pray inside city hall.
SEE: Complaint letter
The city council meeting, which coincided with the second night of Ramadan (a month dedicated to fasting from dawn to dusk by many Muslims), drew numerous Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim constituents aiming to advocate for the addition of a ceasefire resolution to an upcoming council agenda. Despite earlier requests from these constituents for accommodations to break their fast and pray in the city hall lobby, city staff denied their request just hours before the meeting. They cited a policy against food in the lobby, even though a vending machine and snack kiosk are located there. Instead of providing a reasonable space indoors, attendees were instructed to break their fast and pray outside in the cold, an area conspicuously surrounded by police.
In the letter, CAIR-SFBA Policy Coordinator Musa Tariq stated:
“The decision by San Bruno city officials to deny basic accommodations for fasting Muslims is not only deeply troubling but indicative of a broader pattern of exclusion and Islamophobia. These actions, rooted in intimidation tactics to silence Palestinians, Muslims, Arabs, and their allies in San Bruno, send a clear message of unwelcome and contribute to a climate of fear and exclusion.”
The letter outlines the incident’s details and follows prior concerns raised by San Bruno residents about increased barriers to civic engagement, including the erection of partitions in city hall and an increased police presence. It also mentions the use of Islamophobic tropes to deny community member requests.
CAIR-SFBA calls on the city of San Bruno to:
- Issue a public apology.
- Clarify the city policies used to justify their actions.
- Engage in comprehensive Islamophobia training to foster cultural understanding and inclusivity and to ensure all residents feel valued and welcomed.
“We stand with the Muslim residents of San Bruno and all those affected by these actions. We expect the city to acknowledge and rectify this situation, demonstrating a commitment to engagement, respect, and inclusivity moving forward,” added Tariq.