The start of the anti-Muslim rhetoric in the presidential campaign; the wave of terror attacks in London, Manchester, Paris, Brussels and San Bernardino; and the Orlando nightclub shooting have ushered in an escalation of anti-Muslim incidents and hate crimes across the U.S.
In a report released in May, the Council on American-Islamic Relations found that anti-Muslim bias incidents jumped 65% between 2014 and 2016, and hate crimes targeting Muslims rose exponentially by 584%. Mosque spaces have become especially vulnerable to attacks in the past year because they are designed to be easily accessible to the public for worship.
Since Donald Trump was elected into office, there have been more than 80 anti-Muslim-motivated incidents and crimes against mosques, according to data collected by The Islamic Monthly. Dozens of mosques have received hate letters threatening violence, and at least four mosque burnings have been officially ruled arson. These numbers are alarming but low because many mosques do not report incidents.
Below is a timeline documenting anti-Muslim incidents against mosques since 2016 that will be updated regularly.
Researched by Hina Tai. This post was updated January 23, 2018.
*Image: The mosque at a school for orphans. Photo via International Solidarity Movement.
