Plastic Grenade, Graffiti, Found At 2 Hawthorne Mosques
HAWTHORNE (CBSLA.com) — Two mosques in Hawthorne were vandalized overnight with graffiti, authorities said Sunday.
The name "Jesus" was spray painted on a fence of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Baitus-Salaam Mosque at 13221 Prairie Ave., the Hawthorne Police Department said.
A plastic replica of a hand grenade was also found at the mosque.
A spray-painted message reading "Jesus is the way" was found in front of the Islamic Center of Hawthorne at 12209 S. Hawthorne Way, according to police.
The Los Angeles field office of the FBI is working with Hawthorne detectives in an investigation of the two incidents, which are being classified as hate crimes.
Both cases of vandalism were believed to have occurred Saturday night.
Zahid Mian, a member of one of the vandalized mosques said, "By itself, it's not very dangerous, but we felt that the graffiti was a bit too much, with all the incidents going on."
Anyone with information is asked to call 800-222-8477 or www.LACrimestoppers.org.
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