Philadelphia police are investigating after reports of vandalism at the Masjid Al-Jamia mosque in West Philadelphia, officials said.
Police were called after leaders at the mosque discovered biased statements spray painted on the facade of the building located on the 4200 block of Walnut Street.
"The vandals wrote phrases including “Give [peace sign] a chance” and other symbols, including a Star of David, on the doors and walls of the mosque," CAIR-Philadelphia said in a statement.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is a civil rights organization and is urging the Muslim community to increase security and stay safe.
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“We are calling on Philadelphia communities to stand united in the face of today’s hateful, dehumanizing rhetoric against Muslims. The kind of violation Masjid Al-Jamia has seen is unacceptable; this is the third mosque that has been defaced with bigoted language in the last two months," CAIR-Philadelphia Executive Director Dr. Ahmet Tekelioglu said.
The suspect was described as a man wearing a red raincoat and blue jeans, police said.
This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.
