The Islamic School of Rhode island was vandalised with hate speech on this past saturday (14th). The school which opened in 2003 as the first Muslim school in the state has never been targeted before or has received any serious threats.

This time the message was clear in the form of an orange graffiti covering the school’s doors which made the intentions of the vandalizers clear “Now this is a hate crime.” Among other slurs scrawled on the school’s entrance — including “pigs,” and expletives referring to “Allah” — this one was quite clear.

In a press release Ibrahim Hooper said – “This apparently bias-motivated incident should be investigated as a hate crime, with the strongest possible charges brought against the perpetrators once they are apprehended,” | “The recent spike in anti-Muslim hate rhetoric and bias-motivated attacks on American Muslims and their institutions must be addressed by our nation’s leaders.” Ibrahim Hooper is the director of communications at the Council on American-Islamic Relations.