Officials investigating hate crime at California mosque vandalized with bacon

An act of vandalism at a California mosque — less than two months after the mosque received a threatening letter extolling the virtues of Donald Trump — is being investigated as a hate crime, the Davis Enterprise reported. 

In a news release, the Davis Police Department said an unidentified suspect shattered six window panes at the Islamic Center of Davis, a mosque just outside Sacramento. Two bikes on the property were also destroyed and uncooked bacon was placed on the handle of an exterior door. 

Practicing Muslims follow a strict diet that prohibits them from eating or consuming pork.

According to surveillance footage, the incident occurred sometime between 3:45 and 4 a.m. Sunday.

Davis police described the suspect as a white female, 25 to 35 years old and between 5 feet 4 inches and 5 feet 8 inches tall. The suspect could have red or brown wavy hair and was wearing "beige high-top shoes, gray or blue tight-fitting pants, an off-white vest, an unknown color shirt with an unknown logo and a black hat with an unknown logo," the Davis Enterprise reported.

The Council of American-Islamic Relations' Sacramento Valley chapter is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the alleged perpetrator.

Basim Elkarra, executive director of CAIR-Sacramento, issued a statement urging state law-enforcement authorities and the FBI to "investigate the apparent bias motive for this vandalism" and bring the perpetrator to justice.

"The swift apprehension and punishment of those responsible for this act of religious intimidation will send the message that the growing Islamophobia we are witnessing in our nation will not be tolerated or ignored," Elkarra said in the statement. 

A crowdfunding campaign is raising money to help the mosque repair the damages. The campaign exceeded its fundraiser goal of $9,000 and, as of this writing, has collected $15,420. 

In November, the Islamic Center of Davis received a copy of a threatening letter sent to numerous mosques and Muslim advocacy organizations across the country. The letter referred to the Muslim community as "Children of Satan" and "filthy people" and encouraged Muslims to leave the country. The letter was signed by "Americans for a Better Way."

“There’s a new sheriff in town — President Donald Trump," the letter read. "He’s going to do to you Muslims what Hitler did to the jews [sic].”

The Islamic Center of Davis has not yet responded to Mic's request for comment.