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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Esther Agbaje (DFL)

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Minnesota People of Color and Indigenous Caucus Condemns Mosque Attacks

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

SAINT PAUL, Minn. - Wednesday, May 17, 2023, The Tawhid Islamic Center, in Saint Paul became the sixth mosque to be vandalized and sustained arson attacks in the past month. Hate crimes and violent attacks on sacred places of worship and refuge have been a growing crisis.    

The People of Color and Indigenous Caucus issued the following statement,  

“The POCI Caucus stands in solidarity against the recent attacks on mosques. We are appalled and saddened by these hate-motivated acts towards our Muslim communities. Minnesotans deserve to practice their faith without fear of persecution or discrimination. The Muslim community in Minnesota is a vibrant and diverse part of our state. They are our neighbors, our friends, and our family. We stand with you in condemning these attacks and defending your right to practice religion freely and without fear. It has become clear that the underlying cause of these attacks is Islamophobia. Hate crimes are a serious threat to our community, and we must all work together to combat them.  

Together, we can build a world where everyone is treated with respect and dignity, regardless of their religion or background. We must also work to educate communities and our children about the dangers of hate and intolerance. We must teach them to respect and celebrate diversity. We must build a more inclusive and welcoming community for all. At the legislature, the POCI Caucus worked diligently to pass public safety measures to protect our BIPOC and protected class communities against hate crimes and bias. We will continue to fight for an inclusive state for all Minnesotans.”  

The POCI Caucus is comprised of; Rep. Esther Agbaje (59B), Rep. Jamie, Becker-Finn (40B), Rep. Ethan Cha (47B), Rep. Mary Frances Clardy (53A), Rep. Cedrick Frazier (43A), Rep. Aisha Gomez (62A), Rep. Hodan Hassan (62B), Kaohly Vang Her (64A), Rep. Athena Hollins (66B), Rep. Samakab Hussein (65A), Rep. Heather Keeler (04A), Rep. Alicia Kozlowski (08B), Rep. Fue Lee (59A), Rep. Liz Lee (67A), Rep. Mohamud Noor (60B), Rep. María Isa Pérez-Vega (65B), Rep. Ruth Richardson (52B), Rep. Samantha Sencer-Mura (63A), Rep. Samantha Vang (38B), and Rep. Jay Xiong (67B).