Worshippers on the Islamic Congregation of North Jersey in Paterson have been pelted with rocks whilst praying Monday night time in the second one alleged bias assault in 8 months, in keeping with mosque leaders and government.
At round 8:25 p.m., 3 younger males got here in throughout the entrance door whilst round 100 folks have been accrued for sundown prayer, mentioned Burhan Uddin, a board member on the mosque, which is sometimes called Masjid Abu Bakr. One held the door whilst the others threw rocks, he mentioned. Two folks have been struck at the leg, however no person used to be injured, Uddin added.
Surveillance video and footage from mosque cameras display 3 males fleeing the scene, with worshippers chasing them. No arrests had been made. The Passaic County Sheriff’s Office replied and has referred the subject to the county Prosecutor’s Office, which investigates bias crimes.
In December, a person entered the mosque, which is on Preakness Avenue, and shoved and struck a prayer chief, government mentioned. The suspect additionally allegedly yelled and cursed in a threatening method whilst railing towards the mosque’s name to prayer, which is carried out on a loudspeaker. Edward Wright, 58, of Paterson used to be arrested Feb. 22 and charged with easy attack and bias intimidation within the incident. His case remains to be pending.
The assaults have stirred worry and alarm amongst mosque-goers, who’re already weighing more potent security features.
“We are all actually fearful,” Uddin mentioned “People are pronouncing it is not secure anymore. They are throwing rocks, however you do not know what is going to occur.”
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After the incident on Monday, mosque leaders began locking doorways right through prayer services and products, which happen 5 instances every day. Mosque leaders fear they are going to lose worshippers and investment in the event that they make it much less out there, however really feel they’ve to take this step, Uddin mentioned.
“We lock the door, which we should not be doing,” he mentioned. “Some folks would possibly come later to enroll in prayer. But for the security of the folk, we’re locking the door.”
The congregation is thinking about different steps like doorways with security features to go into, or hiring safety guards to observe over services and products, he mentioned.
Bill Maer, a spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office, mentioned police have stepped up patrols there and at different native mosques “in an abundance of warning.”
The Islamic Congregation of North Jersey opened in 2015 and has a big Bengali congregation, amongst different teams, Uddin mentioned.