Statement Regarding Recent Attacks and Community Initiatives

On Saturday, June 24, 2017, in the final days of Ramadan, a burned Quran filled with bacon was found hanging by a handcuff from a fence at the Masjid Annur Islamic Center in Sacramento.  In a separate incident reported one night earlier, someone driving by in a car threw pages torn out of a Quran in front of the Islamic Center of Davis during evening prayers. 
 
Local law enforcement authorities are investigating both incidents as possible hate crimes. 
 
The South Asian Bar Association of Northern California (SABA-NC) encourages thorough investigations of each incident and stands in solidarity with the Sacramento and Davis Muslim communities.  All places of worship and community - mosques, churches, temples, gurdwaras, and synagogues - must be places that are safe from danger and fear. 
 
SABA-NC condemns the rise of anti-Muslim rhetoric from political leaders and the corresponding anti-Muslim violence in the United States.  According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), acts of vandalism, violence and aggression towards mosques around the United States have doubled so far this year compared to the same period in 2016.  The "CAIR to Know Your Rights" app (http://www.cair.com/app) is a tool all South Asians can use to fight discrimination against Muslims, challenge Islamaphobia locally and nationally, and report all biased-based incidents directly to CAIR. 

In addition, CAIR will be hosting a train the trainers session on bystander intervention training on July 6, 2017 and a bystander intervention training on July 7, 2017.