Pork Left On Steps Of Bridgeport Mosque In Apparent Hate Incident

BRIDGEPORT, CT — A bag of pork was left at the entrance of Bridgeport's Masjid An Noor in an apparent hate incident during this holy month of Ramadan, according to the Connecticut chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

"Muslims are prohibited from eating pork products, and this act was apparently intended to offend and intimidate the Muslim community," CAIR-CT wrote in a news release Saturday.

Surveillance footage from the mosque's cameras shows a person leaving the bag, which was later found to contain bacon, the organization said.

"Leaving a bag of pork at a mosque, especially during the sacred month of Ramadan, is a blatant act of hate, disrespect and intimidation," Farhan Memon, chairman of CAIR-CT, added. "This is not just an isolated incident; it is a targeted attack on the Muslim community and an attempt to disrupt our religious observances."

CAIR-CT called for law enforcement to investigate the incident as a hate crime. According to the CT Post in a report Friday, Bridgeport police are doing so "aggressively."

"We urge anyone with information about this act to come forward and assist in bringing the perpetrator to justice," Memon added. "We will not be intimidated by acts of hate, and we will continue to practice our faith with dignity and resilience."

CAIR is the America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. It recently released new civil rights data showing that it has received 3,578 complaints during the last three months of 2023 amid an ongoing wave of anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian hate.

Memon urged houses of worship to utilize CAIR’s Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety guide, which contains security advice applicable to institutions of all faiths.