Manchester Man Charged In Vernon Mosque Harassment Case

VERNON, CT — Vernon police have made an arrest in connection with harassment complaint from a local mosque.

On July 1, the Vernon Police Department arrested Jason Biggar, 45, of Manchester, in connection with an investigation involving "repeated harassing and bias-motivated
communications" received by the Islamic Center of Vernon.

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The investigation began on June 26, after Vernon Police received reports that a man, later identified as Biggar, had made multiple unsolicited phone calls containing derogatory and offensive remarks targeting someone at the mosque and the person's religious beliefs, according to a warrant.

During the investigation, police were able to identify Biggar as
the individual responsible for the communications. He seemed drunk at times and even threatened to spit on the mosque member if encountering him in public, according to a warrant.

According to a warrant, he repeatedly insulted "the prophet" and referred to him as "a pig," among other terms, according to a warrant.

When police went to Biggar's residence, he repeatedly yelled over them and told them to get off his lawn, according to a warrant.

Biggar was eventually taken into custody and has been charged with second-degree harassment, second-degree breach of peace and intimidation based on bigotry or bias in the second degree, according to a warrant.

He was held on an $100,000 surety bond and was to appear in Rockville Superior Court on Thursday, records show.,

Said police, "The Vernon Police Department takes all reports of bias-motivated crimes seriously and remains committed to protecting the rights and safety of all community members."

The Connecticut chapter of Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned what it described as an "anti-Muslim" set of messages on the part of Biggar.