String of Vandalism Incidents Hits Austin Mosques, Prompts Police Investigation
The Council on American-Islamic Relations' Austin chapter (CAIR-Austin) reported that the Islamic Ahlul Bayt Association (IABA), Nueces Mosque, and the Austin Diyanet Center were all targeted.
The incidents, which occurred on the night of May 22, included spray-painted graffiti on mosque property, such as billboards, fences, and entrances, Fox7 reported on Friday.
At approximately 11:30 p.m., members of Nueces Mosque discovered symbols, including Stars of David, spray-painted on the mosque’s main entrance and surrounding areas. Surveillance footage shared by CAIR-Austin shows an unidentified man, his face partially covered, defacing several parts of the building, including the Imam’s office door and exterior fencing. Similar damage was observed at IABA and the Austin Diyanet Center.
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CAIR-Austin noted that this was the fourth reported incident targeting Nueces Mosque since October 2024. The mosque is known for serving students from the University of Texas at Austin.
In a statement, Shaimaa Zayan, CAIR-Austin’s operations manager, described the vandalism as “targeted attacks meant to instill fear and division,” and urged the Austin Police Department (APD) to increase patrols near local Islamic centers.
The APD confirmed it is investigating the incidents and has increased security around the affected locations. In its public statement, the department encouraged residents to report suspicious activity.
Source: Agencies
