Community unites to seek justice after vandals spray paint on Austin mosques

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AUSTIN (KXAN) — A Tuesday press conference featured representatives of three local mosques that were recently vandalized with spray-painted Stars of David on the building, according to a press release from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR-Austin.

The vandalism at Nueces Mosque, which was caught on a security camera, shows a white person in shorts, a t-shirt and a head wrap walk onto the porch before using a blue spray paint on the building.

The Islamic Ahlul Bayt Association and Austin Diyanet Center also “experienced coward vandalism over the night,” according to the release.

CAIR Austin Operations Manager Shaimaa Zayan said in the release that hate comes “from isolation and misinformation.” She noted at the press conference that the incidents are just single instances among thousands reported to CAIR.

“Acts of vandalism against houses of worship are not only attacks on physical spaces but also on the values of tolerance, diversity, and mutual respect,” Zayan said. “On behalf of the Austin Muslim community, we warmly invite all Austinites—of all faiths and no faith—to attend the upcoming community gathering at Nueces Mosque.”

The community gathering will be held at Nueces Mosque Thursday from 6-8 p.m. Zayan also called for contributions to the mosques’ fundraiser campaign to improve security at the places of worship.

Local Muslim leaders speak at press conference

The graffiti was still on Nueces Mosque’s walls and doors when the conference began. One door leads into a prayer space and the other leads to the office of Imam Mufti Anwer.

“The most beloved thing that I do here at Nueces is I hold office hours,” Anwer said. “Both of these gateways … have provided spiritual refuge, a place of deep contemplation for members of the community, young and old, of all backgrounds, hundreds of thousands of students have walked into my office with questions and confusions, and left with a sense of clarity and purpose.”

The mosque has been in Austin for more than 50 years. So thoroughly has it become a part of the community that Anwer said he lacked the words to describe the “sheer amount of well wishes” he’s received.

The graffiti will be cleaned off the building during Thursday’s gathering to symbolize the community’s solidarity against the vandalism. But Anwer spoke to a desire to work beyond the recent incidents and work to address underlying feelings of vulnerability within the local Muslim community.

“We should take this time to not just condemn what has happened, but together as a united Austin community, to recommit ourselves to peace, to education, to listening and supporting our young students, and to making sure that our mosques and houses of worship remain open, safe and welcoming spaces for one and all,” he said.

Sheikh Jafar Muhibullah of the Islamic Ahlul Bayt Association, one of the targeted mosques, also spoke at the event and called local support a “beacon of hope.”

“Your presence here is not only a comfort to us, but a powerful reminder that acts of hatred will never outweigh the force of unity and compassion,” said Muhibullah to the local leaders in attendance. “These were not only attacks on a building, but were attacks on the heart of the community, on sacred spaces where people gather in prayer and service and in peace, yet we face this ugliness.”

A day after the incident, Muhibullah said non-Muslim neighbors stopped by to express outrage against the vandal. He said that it was for him what community and resilience look like.

“Their words were gestures and declarations that what affects one of us actually affects all of us,” he said. “This is what Austinites stand for, a city where people of all faiths, backgrounds can live in safety, dignity and mutual respect.”

Austin Diyanet Center’s president, Sefa Kara, said in his remarks that they don’t plan to change what they do following the vandalism.

“What happened last Friday night is not acceptable. We all know that it is a shameful event and it is a hate crime, to me,” Kara said. “They won’t change anything. They made us stronger than yesterday.”

Civic leaders give their support

Several county and city officials attended and spoke at the press conference.

Travis County Judge Andy Brown called the attacks “deeply disturbing” and said he stands in solidarity with the local Muslim community.

“We stand together to show the people impacted by hate crimes that there are resources to help them to cope with the trauma that they have experienced,” Brown said. “We are not going to be intimidated. We’re not going to tolerate this kind of hate crime here in Travis County.”

From the city of Austin came Council Members Vanessa Fuentes, Mike Siegel, Ryan Alter, Krista Laine and Zo Qadri; Council Member Jose Vela was unable to attend the press conference, per Zayan. Austin Assistant City Manager for Public Safety Eddie Garcia also spoke at the presser.

Islamic Ahlul Bayt Association and Austin Diyanet Center are both in Laine’s district.

“As long as I am in office, I will always stand with the Muslim community,” she said. “I am committed to building a stronger and deeper interfaith network in my district and across the city, as well as bridge lines that have previously divided across our entire community.”

Qadri read a statement from Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, who was away from Austin at the time, prior to his own remarks. Nueces Mosque is in Qadri’s district and one that he attended during his time at the University of Texas at Austin.

“There isn’t a mosque I’ve been to that hasn’t been the target of hate,” he said. “The Muslim community belongs here, belongs in Austin, in Texas.”

Austin Police Department, Travis County District Attorney promise to bring case

APD is investigating the vandalism incidents, as KXAN previously reported. Austin Police Department Chief Lisa Davis called the attacks “intolerable” and said APD was taking the cases seriously.

“I came to this city understanding what Austin values were, and these aren’t it,” Davis said.

Davis also said APD officers will be on security details at every mosque in Austin, including marked vehicles and plainclothes officers.

Travis County District Attorney José Garza said his office looks forward to prosecuting the case.

“Here in Travis County and in the city of Austin, there is no place for hate and bigotry … in our community, our diversity is our strength,” Garza said. “If you target someone because of their race, religion, sex, disability, sexual orientation, age or national origin, you will be found, you will be arrested, and you will be held accountable.”

Anyone with information about the incidents can call APD’s tip line at 512-472-8477.

‘Something you never want to see’

Former UT student and Nueces Mosque President Aadil Shihab said the vandalism has made people feel uneasy.

“Absolutely something you never want to see in a place of worship,” Shihab said. “You never want to see a place you love so much being vandalized.”

While the outside of the building was marked, Shihab said what truly makes it special on the inside will remain unchanged.

“This will always be a place where people will come together and mingle. Nothing will ever be able to stop that,” Shihab said. “I think that’s one of the beauties of this mosque and this institution. People will always come together and worship and mingle and pray together.”

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