Islamic Center Vandalized
Volume 127, No. 105
Monday, March 27, 2017
OPINION
Recent vandalism a sign of bigotry PAGE 8
Community members gather to show their support for the Islamic Center of Fort Collins after it was vandalized early Sunday, Mar. 26. PHOTO BY DAVID JOHNSON COLLEGIAN
Community gathers, donates in support after early morning crime By Haley Candelario @H_Candelario98
Students, children, families and senior citizens crowded outside the Islamic Center of Fort Collins on a rainy Sunday evening to get a clear view of the prayer room’s shattered glass windows. After the Islamic Center was vandalized early that morning around 1,000 people gathered outside the building to show their support. A suspect overturned furniture and shattered the glass windows on the back doors of the Islamic Center around 4 a.m. Sunday. A Bible, which appeared to be thrown into the prayer room, and a screw driver were found at the scene. Surveillance footage provid-
ed by ICFC shows the male suspect, dressed in jeans and a dark purple hoodie, arriving at the Islamic Center at 3:57 a.m. and kicking the east door. The suspect left for a few minutes and returned again at 4:03 a.m. Then, at 4:09 a.m., one of the glass panels on the back doors was shattered with a rock thrown by the suspect. Tawfik Aboellail, President of the Islamic Center of Fort Collins, said the ICFC anticipated the attack due to increased suspicious activity occurring around the area and had recently requested increased protection from police during prayer times. “Luckily, there was no one here praying,” Aboellail said. “If (the rock) had hit someone in the back of their head, (they) would have died from it.”
“(I’m) feeling fearful for the safety of our community members, angry that no serious steps were taken to prevent this and frustrated because I blame myself for not beefing up security or doing something more drastic,” Aboellail said. In response to the vandalism, the center held a community support event Sunday evening and created a GoFundme page to raise money to repair the damages. City Council members, state representatives and the president of the CSU Muslim Student Association were a handful of the speakers present at the community event. Aboellail informed the crowd of the events that happened earlier that morning, but emphasized the strength of the Islamic community.
“We will not bow down,” Aboellail said. “When someone sows one seed of hate, we will sow a thousand seeds of love.” Mayor Wade Troxell expressed his grievances to the community. “This is such a tragic event,” Troxell said. “Fort Collins is a welcoming and friendly community for all. We’re accepting of all faiths and all religions. We embrace our Constitution and our freedom of religion.” Troxell made a call for action to find the suspect who vandalized the center. “As your mayor and a lifelong resident of Fort Collins, I condemn these hateful and vengeful acts and we will find the perpetrators,” Troxell said. “This is not our town. Let’s reach out and embrace our friends and our see VANDALIZE on page 5 >>
SPORTS
Track and Field continues success PAGE 11
A&C
Pinball Jones opens second bar PAGE 14