US Islamic rights group slams Florida mosque attack as hate crime

An Islamic civil rights organization in the US has denounced a recent beating of a Muslim man at the Fort Pierce Islamic Center in Florida as a hate crime tied to the mass shooting at an Orlando night club.

The Washington-based Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), further complained that local law enforcement authorities ignored requests by the Islamic center for increased security at the site despite numerous threats made against the center.

According to a statement by CAIR, a white truck stopped at the mosque at 4:15 am on Saturday and a man got off using racial slurs, saying: “You Muslims need to get back to your country.”

The statement further noted that the offending individual beat the victim, causing head trauma and knocking out a tooth.

The St. Lucie County sheriff’s office did not immediately comment on the report.