Colorado police are investigating an incident at a Colorado mosque after someone shattered glass doors with rocks and threw a Bible in the prayer room.
Leaders at the Fort Collins Islamic Center said the attacker threw “the biggest rock he could find” to break the glass door after attempting to break in using a screwdriver. Once inside, the vandal turned over trash cans and chairs and threw a Bible in a prayer room.
Police confirmed the damage when they responded to the early Sunday morning incident. They are currently asking for assistance from the community to solve the crime.
On Sunday afternoon, the community held a rally at the mosque. Fort Collins Police Chief John Hutto tweeted, “This is the Fort Collins I love; not the hateful, divisive crime of last night.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is urging state and federal officials to investigate the incident as a hate crime. CAIR has been active in calling for hate crime investigations in a slew of incidents at mosques around the country. The group says a report it will soon release details a significant increase in anti-Muslim attacks between 2015 and 2016.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- Coco Gauff Is Playing for Herself Now
- Scenes From Pro-Palestinian Encampments Across U.S. Universities
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com