LA mosque vandalized again, LAPD investigating as hate crime
LOS ANGELES - A man was caught on camera vandalizing a local mosque in Koreatown this week. Now, police are investigating the most recent case of vandalism as a hate crime. The incident has united faith leaders from across the community, standing in solidarity to condemn the hateful act.
What we know
It happened on Saturday, May 10, at the Islamic Center of Southern California. Surveillance video captured the man spray-painting a wall, tree and fence at the mosque.
The messages featured the word "God," and the Star of David. A spokesperson for the mosque said the messaging appears to be a reference to Israel and the war in Gaza.
SUGGESTED: Hate crimes in Los Angeles County reach all-time high in 2023
"It transforms it from being a symbol of faith, goodness [and] righteousness, which is what we should all know it by, and it goes through a transformation," said Omar Ricci. "That effectively conveys, and what we felt when we saw it, that 'We're coming for you.' That, 'we're coming for this mosque.'"
The man in the video sprayed other symbols and the names of multiple Japanese companies. While the Los Angeles Police Department said it's still working to determine the meaning of all the messages, Chief Jim McDonnell said the department is investigating the incident as a hate crime.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: LAPD searching for man accused of defacing Islamic Center in Koreatown
The backstory
The mosque is no stranger to vandalism like this. In April 2023, another man was seen on camera, spraying anti-Muslim messages on the wall. It's unclear if anyone was ever arrested in connection with that incident.
By the numbers
Hate crimes reached an all-time high in Los Angeles County in 2023, reaching numbers the President of the county Human Relations Commission called "unprecedented." The most common hate crimes were based on race, ethnicity or national origin, according to the report, with religion-based crimes, particularly against Jewish people and Muslims, coming closely behind. Hate crimes in LA County in 2023 jumped nearly 50% from the year before.
While the LAPD tells FOX 11 that hate crimes targeting houses of worship have roughly steadied this year, leaders from many other religious communities gathered at the Islamic Center on Friday to stand in unity and condemn hate.
What they're saying
David Myers, professor of Jewish History at UCLA, said that it's important to stand against hate, no matter the target.
"It's hard in this current moment to be reminded of the common spiritual roots that bind us together, but it's also important to note that hate against one group will spill over into hate against another group," Myers said. "Islamophobia and anti-Semitism are related. They rise and fall in unison."
Salam Al-Marayati of the Muslim Public Affairs Council called the vandalism an effort to try and "split the Jewish and Muslim community here, and they will not succeed."
What's next
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office tells FOX 11 that until a suspect is identified and the investigation is complete, they won't be able to determine whether hate crime charges can be filed.
The Source
Information in this story is from a press briefing at the Islamic Center of Southern California on Friday, May 16, 2025, with comments from LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, Omar Ricci, David Myers and Salam Al-Marayati; a 2023 report on hate crimes in LA County written by the County Human Relations Commission; and previous FOX 11 reports.
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