ICSC officials said the center was targeted by a \u201cdisturbing act of vandalism\u201d on its wall and surrounding trees, including symbols police determined as hate-motivated, on May 12. The LAPD\u2019s\u00a0Major Crimes Division launched a hate crime investigation<\/a>\u00a0into the incident, which police were investigating as a hate crime.<\/p>\n Monday\u2019s mural unveiling<\/a> included family activities, food, live music, and speeches from elected officials and partnering organizations from CAIR-LA and the Muslim Public Affairs Council.<\/p>\n Dignitaries cut a ribbon during a mural unveiling at the Islamic Center of Southern California in Los Angeles on Monday, July 21, 2025. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n A mural entitled \u201cSabr at Fajr\u201d by Artist Saj Issa at the Islamic Center of Southern California in Los Angeles on Monday, July 21, 2025. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Dr. Nasser Karam, Board Chair, ICSC, speaks during a mural unveiling at the Islamic Center of Southern California in Los Angeles on Monday, July 21, 2025. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, LA County Board of Supervisors, District 2, speaks during a mural unveiling at the Islamic Center of Southern California in Los Angeles on Monday, July 21, 2025. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Dignitaries smile after cutting a ribbon during a mural unveiling at the Islamic Center of Southern California in Los Angeles on Monday, July 21, 2025. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, LA County Board of Supervisors, District 2, speaks during a mural unveiling at the Islamic Center of Southern California in Los Angeles on Monday, July 21, 2025. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Robin Toma, Executive Director, LA County Commission on Human Relations, speaks during a mural unveiling at the Islamic Center of Southern California in Los Angeles on Monday, July 21, 2025. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Dr. Nasser Karam, Board Chair, ICSC, speaks during a mural unveiling at the Islamic Center of Southern California in Los Angeles on Monday, July 21, 2025. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Show Caption<\/p>\n 1 of 8<\/p>\n Dignitaries cut a ribbon during a mural unveiling at the Islamic Center of Southern California in Los Angeles on Monday, July 21, 2025. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n Expand<\/a><\/p>\n Organizers hope the piece, supported by the L.A. County Human Relations Commission and other community groups, is seen as a symbol of \u201chealing, visibility and resistance.\u201d<\/p>\n On one side of the mosque\u2019s wall, the blue and yellow-tinted mural \u2014 titled \u201cSabr at Fajr,\u201d by Palestinian-American artist Saj Issa<\/a> \u2014 explores \u201cnotions of patience, resilience and cultural identity through the symbolic Sabr plant\u201d centered in the artwork. Organizers said the plant, a prickly pear cactus, \u201ctakes root in an ethereal landscape that evokes connections to both Los Angeles and the Middle East.\u201d Other elements of the mural include a yellow moon and flowing water, symbols of life and growth.<\/p>\n \u201cThis imagery serves as a reminder that we are never truly alone, so long as we remain steadfast in our faith,\u201d said Issa before the mural\u2019s unveiling. \u201cIt also speaks to the beauty of endurance and the shared human story of finding belonging after hardship.\u201d<\/p>\n The mural was funded through a grant\u00a0from the county\u2019s\u00a0Measure B fund<\/a>, with support through MuralColors\u2019 artist residency program. It was developed through a community input process which included hundreds of responses from Muslims across L.A., officials said.<\/p>\n Members of the community and allies swiftly condemned the vandalism at the inclusive mosque and community center<\/a>, near Koreatown.<\/p>\n \u201cICSC is a beacon of faith and service in our community, and this hateful act of vandalism is not just an attack on a house of faith, it is an assault on the values of diversity and tolerance,\u201d said CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush in a May press release<\/a>. \u201cAmidst rising anti-Muslim rhetoric across the country, this disturbing attempt to intimidate and marginalize our community is deeply concerning. Hate and bigotry, against any group regardless of faith or background, cannot go unchecked.\u201d<\/p>\n Officials arrested a man who reportedly scrawled anti-Islamic hate words at the same mosque<\/a> in April 2023.<\/p>\n The mural, \u201cSabr at Fajr,\u201d builds upon LA vs. Hate\u2019s \u201cSigns of Solidarity\u201d<\/a>\u00a0campaign,\u00a0aimed at fighting hate and uplifting diversity through public displays<\/a>, officials said \u2014 including signs, posters, and community-commissioned artwork across L.A. County.<\/p>\n The campaign comes in response to\u00a0a 45% increase in hate crimes<\/a>\u00a0reported county-wide, according to the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations\u2019\u00a0latest report in 2023<\/a>.<\/p>\n L.A. County reported an increase in religiously-motivated attacks on both Jewish and Muslim communities since the start of the Israel-Hamas war<\/a> in late 2023. Anti-Muslim incidents represented 8% of all reported religious hate in both 2022 and 2023<\/a> \u2014 an increase of 133% during those years. Incidents related to conflict in the Middle East increased 2,150%, up to 64 in 2023, officials said.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no question \u2014 there\u2019s already a huge increase,\u201d said Robin Toma, executive director of the commission, before Monday\u2019s unveiling. \u201cThis is the largest number we\u2019ve ever recorded.\u201d<\/p>\n Toma said that in response to the rising attacks, the county\u2019s LA v. Hate campaign offers resources for people standing up to hate<\/a>, and partners with community organizations to create rapid-response networks for reported hate-motivated attacks, which people can report through its multilingual, confidential 211 hotline<\/a>.<\/p>\n The campaign also seeks to \u201creclaim\u201d public spaces, communities and neighborhoods that have been frequent targets of hate, officials said.<\/p>\n County officials identified through reporting that Koreatown, MacArthur Park, San Pedro and Pico-Robertson are among the L.A. neighborhoods \u201cmost impacted\u201d by hate incidents. In response, the commission began its campaign creating signage and murals in those areas to show solidarity. Several new murals unveiled over the last two years include an El Monte mural celebrating the area\u2019s diverse workforce<\/a>, one in Pico-Robertson combating antisemitism<\/a>, and another highlighting the LGBTQ+ community in Long Beach<\/a>.<\/p>\n Seeing communities united against hate, Toma hopes, will deter people from committing offenses.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen there have been hate crimes, and when there\u2019s been a response by the entire community by showing solidarity against hate, that has sent a strong message and deterred people even from thinking of community acts of hate,\u201d Toma said. \u201cWe are preventing hate from happening by building that visible solidarity.\u201d<\/p>\n Toma said that he hopes the new mural and support of public officials \u2014 including District 2 Supervisor Holly Mitchell and Vahid Khorsand, L.A.\u2019s new Deputy Mayor of Community Engagement, both of whom attended Monday\u2019s unveiling \u2014 will \u201caffirm that the Muslim community belongs.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re part of our civic and cultural fabric,\u201d Toma said. \u201cWe will not let hate divide us.\u201d<\/p>\n Victims or witnesses of hate crimes can report by calling 2-1-1, the county\u2019s confidential hotline, or visit\u00a0LAvsHate.org\u00a0<\/a>for access to free resources and multilingual support.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\n
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