Issue:

Muslim Advocates Responds to Explosion at Minnesota Mosque

Washington, DC – The following is a statement from Madihha Ahussain, Special Counsel for anti-Muslim Bigotry at Muslim Advocates, in response to reports of an explosion at the Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington, Minnesota. No injuries were reported and the cause of the explosion is currently unknown. Today also marks five years since the Oak Creek shooting claimed the lives of six people and caused injuries to four more at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin:

“This explosion is a tragedy and we at Muslim Advocates send our full and unbending support for the people of Bloomington and the Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center.

While details of the explosion are still under investigation, we cannot ignore that this type of destruction comes at a time when houses of worship are increasingly becoming targets of hate, and communities regularly fear for their safety.  

Today marks five years since a Sikh temple was attacked in Wisconsin and, together with the recent surges in mosque burnings and vandalism across the nation, houses of worship are now also targets of vandals, arsonists, and bigots.

The Islamic Center’s director said that the mosque had received threats in the past, telling the local news after this morning’s blast that they’ve received phone calls with ‘people talking about us, telling us, accusing us that we shouldn’t be here, that we are like a burden to the community or we are like harming it.’

We stand with the people of Bloomington and of the Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center and urge a full investigation into how this happened.”

Muslim Advocates is a national legal advocacy and educational organization that works on the frontlines of civil rights to guarantee freedom and justice for Americans of all faiths.

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