Shafaqna English- The Muslim community in Minnesota is expressing concern after a string of incidents targeting Islamic centers.
The latest case occurred on last Sunday (23 Nov 2025) night at Masjid Uthman Islamic Center on Lyndale Avenue North. According to the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), two masked individuals entered the building with support from a third person waiting in a vehicle, the Star Tribune reported on Thursday.
Surveillance footage shows the suspects leaving shortly afterward, and CAIR said nothing inside appeared to be stolen or damaged. Minneapolis police said no arrests have been made.
CAIR linked the incident to several other break-ins and acts of vandalism affecting Islamic centers in recent months. Jaylani Hussein group’s Minnesota Executive Director said the community was unsettled.
He noted there was no sign of theft but said the individuals walked into the prayer area with their shoes on, which he described as disrespectful. He characterized the episode as “scary”.
Suleiman Adan, CAIR’s Deputy Executive Director stressed the Mosque’s importance to its neighborhood and said in a statement that any intrusion into a sacred space affects the wider community.
He added that CAIR is coordinating with Mosque’s leaders and law enforcement to support congregants and pursue accountability. Hussein said more than 40 incidents involving vandalism, fires, or other disturbances at Minnesota Mosques have been recorded in the past three years, causing damage exceeding $3 million.
He argued that Muslim concerns are sometimes overlooked and said visits from senior state officials, including the governor, rarely occur after such events.
Three additional cases were reported at Islamic centers in Minneapolis and Bloomington since September. CAIR said the motives in those incidents are still being investigated.
Police arrested a suspect in two of them, but Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said in October that those events did not appear to be hate crimes and may have involved mental health or substance-related issues.
Sources: IQNA