San Francisco man arrested after allegedly vandalizing mosque, leaving community "living in fear"

On the evening of March 12, 2023, in San Francisco, California, an incident occurred that left the local Muslim community feeling frightened and vulnerable. The incident involved Robert Gray, a 35-year-old resident of the city, who was later arrested for allegedly vandalizing Nob Hill's Masjid al-Tawheed mosque.

According to reports from the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), the incident took place around 10:30 p.m., when Gray broke six windows at the Masjid al-Tawheed mosque located on the 1200 block of Bush Street. The mosque is an essential place of worship for the Muslim community in the area, and the vandalism caused significant damage to the building.

The SFPD responded to the scene promptly and began investigating the incident as a hate crime due to the potential bias motive. Witnesses reported seeing Gray near the mosque before the windows were shattered, and surveillance footage from the area helped identify him as the suspect.

Gray was later located and apprehended by the SFPD. He was booked into the San Francisco County Jail on one felony count of vandalism and a misdemeanor violation of the California Penal Code section 422.7, which prohibits disturbing or interfering with religious worship or religious property.

The Muslim community in the area expressed their concern and frustration over the incident, stating that it has left them living in fear. The Masjid al-Tawheed mosque's president, Mohammad Jawad, stated that the incident was not an isolated occurrence and that the mosque has been targeted with hate crimes in the past. The community is calling for increased security measures to ensure their safety and protection from further incidents.

The SFPD is continuing to investigate the incident as a hate crime and is urging anyone with information to come forward. The department is also reminding the public that hate crimes will not be tolerated in the city and that anyone found to be committing such acts will be held accountable for their actions.

The Masjid al-Tawheed mosque has set up a GoFundMe page to help raise funds for the repairs and security upgrades needed to make the building safe for the community once again. The page has already raised over $100,000 in donations from people across the country who want to show their support for the Muslim community in San Francisco.

The incident serves as a reminder that hate crimes continue to be a problem in many communities across the country, and it is essential that we all come together to stand against hate and intolerance. The SFPD encourages anyone who experiences or witnesses a hate crime to report it to their local law enforcement agency immediately.