Graffiti on Portland mosque under investigation
2 May 2011
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Officer Gavin Hillard writes down contact information at a mosque on Anderson Street in Portland today where someone spray painted graffiti on the wall in the wake of Osama bin Laden's death. The writing says "Osama today Islam tomorow (sic)," and "Long live the West." Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer
By David Hench dhench@mainetoday.com
Jirde Mohamed walks past the front of a mosque on Anderson Street in Portland today where someone spraypainted graffiti on the wall in the wake of Osama Bin Laden's death. Bin Laden and Islam are not the same thing, said Mohammed, a member of the mosque who has lived in Portland 10 years. Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer
PORTLAND — Portland police are investigating anti-Islam graffiti painted onto the Maine Muslims Community Center on Anderson Street.
The graffiti included: “Osama today, Islam tomorow (sic),” “Long live the West” and “Free Cyprus.”
The letters were written in maroon paint on the mosque’s gray cement block wall. The graffiti was written sometime between late Sunday night and about 7:15 a.m. today, when it was discovered by Portland Housing Authority workers on Anderson Street.
A crew from Graffiti Busters was called in this morning to remove the graffiti, and it had finished the task by 10:45 a.m.
Officials with the community center said they recently completed purchase of the building, where they’ve been since 2007, for close to $1 million.
They said they’re disappointed by the graffiti and concerned about the impact it will have on children.
The mosque, or masjid, caters to a predominantly Somali Muslim community in greater Portland and is the largest Muslim community in the city. Members say it is the first time, the center has been defaced with graffiti.
“It makes me feel like I’m not welcome,” said the group’s treasurer, Abdiaziz Mohamed, who said his wife and four children were born here.
Original post: Graffiti on Portland mosque under investigation
If you’re going to vandalize with graffiti, at least spell correctly. And, what does ‘Free Cyprus’ have anything to do with Islam or Osama Bin Laden?
2 May 2011 at 1:08 pm