Paterson’s mosque has been targeted by hate crimes and now leaders are considering increasing security.
It happened Monday at a Muslim congregation in northern Jersey, and the incident was caught on surveillance video.
The video shows what appears to be two masked teenagers walking up to the front steps of a mosque and inside during prayer. It looks like they started throwing rocks at the congregation earlier.
People who attended services at the mosque said the incident was disturbing.
“I’m grateful it didn’t get worse. We’ve seen the recent weather in the United States,” says Abdul Tahoor.
The congregation says they have dealt with this kind of hatred in the past. In December, a man walked into a mosque and complained about hearing the call to prayer every day. He pushed the Imam and is now indicted.
Regarding the latest incident, the Sheriff of Passaic County has been posted outside during services and surveillance cameras have been installed on the streets to watch for anyone trying to break in.
“It’s disgusting to me. It’s a shame,” says Sheriff Richard Berdnik. “We are working with our partners. We are committed to stopping this practice.”
Mosque leaders are considering a security guard for the site, but that could be costly.