Rutgers Center for Islamic Life broken into, vandalized on Eid

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., April 14 (ZFJ) — The Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University (CILRU) was broken into and vandalized on Eid.

The Center reported on Instagram that art pieces with Quranic verses, windows, TVs, printers, artwork, and the Palestinian flag were damaged.

“This reprehensible act, occurring on our sacred day, is undoubtedly fueled by Islamophobia is clearly a hate crime targeting our Muslim population at Rutgers,” the Center wrote.

Eid al-Fitr is a three-day holiday that marks the end of Ramadan—Islam’s holy month of fasting.

Chief Kenneth Cop of the Rutgers University Police Department confirmed in an alert that a burglary, criminal mischief, and bias crime occurred at CILRU on the College Avenue campus in the overnight hours between Tuesday, April 9, and Wednesday, April 10, at 4:34 a.m. The building was unoccupied when the incident occurred.

A view of damage that occurred at the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University on Eid. CILRU/Handout

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said in a statement that his office is investigating along with Rutgers police, N.J. State Police, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, the state Division of Criminal Justice, and the state Division on Civil Rights.

Rutgers University—New Brunswick Chancellor Francine Conway, Ph.D., strongly condemned the vandalism. She called for the community to stand together, confirmed that police are investigating the incident as a hate crime, and added that university police will be increasing patrols on the College Avenue campus.

“I invite everyone in our community to work together, stand together, and support all individuals and groups affected by this act of cowardice,” she said in a statement. “Let us recommit to our shared values of respect, care, and dialogue across differences. The safety of our community is our highest priority.”

A view of damage that occurred at the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University on Eid. CILRU/Handout

Rutgers police ask that anyone who may have information on the incident to contact their Detective Bureau at (848) 932-8025.

References

• Rutgers University Police Department - @RutgersPoliceDepartment (Facebook) - Attention Rutgers New Brunswick Community: The Rutgers University Police Department is investigating a burglary, criminal mischief, and bias crime which is reported to have occurred in the overnight hours of Tuesday, April 9th, 2024, and Wednesday, April 10th, 2024, at 4:34 AM, within the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers (CILRU), 122 College Ave, New Brunswick, NJ, on the College Ave Campus. - https://www.facebook.com/RutgersPoliceDepartment/posts/pfbid02yvkx1NfP42yeTFvhmavoJAFt9iXbQscHjVAREt8gGJ8ke4RXQKh951Yn3V3LUpynl
• Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University - @thecilru (Instagram) - On the auspicious occasion of Eid, our hearts are heavy as we report an act of vandalism at the Muslim Chaplaincy house at Rutgers University. - https://www.instagram.com/p/C5lX1Gqg4-T/?hl=en
• N.J. Attorney General’s Office - @NewJerseyOAG (Twitter) - Statement of Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin Regarding the Incident at Rutgers University - https://twitter.com/NewJerseyOAG/status/1778096710092312896
• Office of the Chancellor, Rutgers University—New Brunswick - Vandalization of the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers–New Brunswick - https://newbrunswick.rutgers.edu/chancellor/communications/response-vandalization-center-islamic-life (ARCHIVE)