The Masjid An-Noor mosque in Bridgeport has reported two potential bias incidents this week, the first of its kind this year, according to the Council on American Islamic Relations’ Connecticut chapter (CAIR).
The incidents merit more than just local police attention, according to CAIR CT Chair Farhan Memon.
“CAIR-CT is calling on local and state law enforcement agencies to investigate this incident as a hate crime,” Memon said.
Surveillance videos sent by CAIR show a man leaving a bag filled with bacon and other pork products at the lobby of the mosque on two separate occasions.
The incident has rattled attendees as they observe Ramadan according to CAIR, which said the incidents are part of a larger recent wave of islamophobia.
“Since October 7, there has been an unprecedented increase in harassment and hate crimes directed towards Muslim Americans, and Connecticut is certainly not immune from that,” Memon said.
CAIR has received 3,578 complaints nationwide during the last three months of 2023.
Bridgeport police confirmed they are investigating Saturday’s incident but did not confirm if they are investigating Monday’s incident as well.
The video captured Saturday morning shows a man dropping off a bag filled with pork in the lobby of the mosque.
The video of Monday’s incident shows what appears to be the same person tossing pork products on the lobby floor.
The mosque did not issue a statement, but Memon said the incidents are unnerving.
“When something like this happens, it violates that sense of peace and calm, and so I think the people that go to the mosque are concerned that someone came and did this very blatant act of disrespect, and intimidation,” he said.
Memon said the mosque is applying for more money to get more security cameras from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program. Connecticut also has a similar program, but the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection did not provide additional information on how many houses of worship statewide received funds up to March of this year, although the Hartford Courant reported 129 houses of worship did by the end of 2023.
