News
San Francisco man taken into custody for allegedly defacing mosque
San Francisco man Robert Gray, 35, was arrested on Wednesday evening for allegedly vandalizing a mosque in Nob Hill. He was booked on one felony count of vandalism with damage exceeding $400 and a misdemeanor violation of civil rights by damaging another property. Gray is currently in county jail.
Upon receiving a call from congregants of Masjid al-Tawheed mosque around 7:55 p.m. on Wednesday, San Francisco Police officers arrived at the scene and detained Gray. Mosque attendees had recognized him from security footage of the April 4 incident.
Police spokesperson Paulina Henderson stated that officers had probable cause for Gray’s arrest and that the investigation was ongoing.
Surveillance video obtained by the San Francisco Standard captured Gray vandalizing the mosque with a skateboard on April 4. He returned to the mosque on Tuesday and Wednesday, where congregants were able to confront and detain him until police arrived.
Community members, such as Masjid al-Tawheed mosque member Aseel Fara, expressed shock and fear following the incident. Fara mentioned receiving a call from another mosque in the Bay Area that had experienced similar vandalism, seeking to review surveillance footage for any connections to Gray.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations Bay Area chapter welcomed Gray’s arrest, with Executive Director Zahra Billoo emphasizing the significance of protecting places of worship from hate-driven incidents. Billoo highlighted the rise in Islamophobic complaints nationwide, citing a 30-year high in reported incidents.
According to CAIR, there were 8,061 reports received last year, with almost half occurring in the last three months following a conflict between Hamas and Israel. Billoo emphasized the importance of addressing Islamophobia and commended Gray’s arrest as a step towards combating hate-driven behaviors.
News
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Protesters reach an agreement to dismantle encampment
Protesters at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee have agreed to end their pro-Palestinian encampment following an agreement reached with the school, university officials announced on Sunday. The encampment, which had been in place for two weeks, will be dismantled by Tuesday, marking the end of what was believed to be the last standing encampment at a Wisconsin college.
University officials had allowed the encampment to remain on a patch of lawn between Mitchell Hall and a busy thoroughfare on the campus’s southern boundary, opting not to involve law enforcement. This approach differed from the response at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where police were called in to remove tents after negotiations fell through. Despite initial efforts to disband the encampment, Wisconsin-Madison eventually reached an agreement with protesters to voluntarily dismantle the camp prior to commencement ceremonies.
Chancellor Mark Mone of Wisconsin-Milwaukee stated last Wednesday that the university had exhibited “the widest possible amount of patience and restraint.” However, he also cautioned that patience was wearing thin and hinted at potential action by the school. Following discussions with the UWM Popular University for Palestine Coalition, the university agreed to advocate for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, condemn the destruction of schools and universities in Gaza by Israeli forces, and hold meetings with protest leaders regarding university investments.
Additionally, the university pledged to urge the Water Council, a Milwaukee organization of water technology companies, to sever connections with two Israeli government-owned entities, Mekorot and the Israel Innovation Authority. Chancellor Mone serves as the treasurer on the Water Council’s board of directors.
In return for these commitments, the protesters agreed to dismantle the encampment beginning on Sunday and completing the process by Tuesday. They also agreed not to disrupt the university’s commencement ceremonies scheduled for Sunday. In a statement, the protesters expressed their satisfaction with the agreement, stating, “After hard fought edits and careful consideration by the coalition, we determined we had obtained all possible benefits from the encampment.”
The resolution of the encampment at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee represents a successful outcome of negotiations between university officials and protesters. By reaching a compromise that addresses the concerns of both parties, a peaceful resolution has been achieved, allowing for the encampment to be taken down without incident.