"We simply cannot normalize these incidents": Suspected arson damages St. Paul Islamic center
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The St. Paul Fire Department is investigating a suspected case of arson at an Islamic center early Wednesday.
Few details were initially available, but the fire is said to have happened at Tawhid Islamic Center of Minnesota, which is on the 400 block of Dale Street. Crews responded at about 8:45 a.m. on a report of flames coming from the building.
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter called out this latest attack on a place of worship.
"I'm disgusted," Carter said.
An afternoon call for prayers came with a reminder that some sanctuaries sit inside buildings, but there is always room for the almighty in your heart.
"When you attack a place of worship in America, it comes back stronger, it comes back bigger, and you create more friends," mosque member Daud Mohammed said.
He added his mosque also serves as a community hub. The building had been undergoing renovations, so no one was inside, and no one was hurt. Still, the suspected arson attack left many with emotional wounds.
"My worst fear is that my 4-year-old son, who lives here, my beautiful wife, who lives and works here and is a product of Minnesota, will get attacked tomorrow, and that being OK," he said.
This is the sixth suspected attack on a mosque this year in Minnesota, and the second in two weeks in St. Paul, after security cameras captured vandals throwing rocks at the Masjid al-Sunnah Mosque on Pederson Street.
RELATED: St. Paul mosque vandalized Friday morning; 5th mosque attack in Minnesota this year
Police officials saying they will increase patrols at mosques across the city, and Carter promised he'll lobby to raise funds for more security cameras.
"If you come anywhere near a mosque in St. Paul, be prepared to say cheese, because you will be on camera, and we will be able to see you," Carter said.
WCCO's Jonah Kaplan spoke one-on-one with the deputy chief, who said there were no specific threats against this mosque or any others. Investigators will be looking at whether any of these suspected attacks are related.
Rep. Samakab Hussein, whose district houses the center, issued the following statement:
"I am frustrated that sacred spaces Minnesotans use to practice religion are being violently attacked. We simply cannot normalize these incidents of hate. I urge all Minnesotans to come together in solidarity to combat these atrocious actions and uplift our Muslim community. The freedom of religion is essential to a free and democratic society. It allows people to practice their faith without fear of persecution or discrimination. It also allows people to explore different faiths and to learn about different cultures.
"I call on all Americans to join us in condemning these attacks and in defending the freedom of religion. We also call on law enforcement to do everything in their power to bring the perpetrators of these attacks to justice."
