A man destroyed copies of the Quran and threw them around the Mosque's prayer room in the early morning of March 13, 2017. The Islamic Center of Tucson has already raised more than $20,000 to upgrade security after a recent break-in, said spokesperson Mahmoud Obagi.
He called the outpouring of support from the entire community "tremendous.”
"This represents who Tucson really is," he said. "Our diversity, the fact that when something happens, we all gather and unite for peace."
VIEW LARGER Security camera footage of the man who broke into the Islamic Center of Tucson on March 13, 2017. Last month, a man broke into the mosque late at night and destroyed copies of the Quran. He was caught on security cameras but hasn’t been identified.
The center’s GoFundMe site reads, "The vandal’s intentions were clear, and it served as a painful reminder that we are living in an era where hate crimes are not uncommon."
Obagi said the Islamic Center of Tucson will use the money to add cameras, install a new alarm and reinforce the center’s doors. Fundraising is ongoing.
To donate, visit the center’s fundraising site.
By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.