Gov. Dayton Calls 'Muslims Get Out' Sign 'Bigoted' And 'Wrong'

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton has weighed in on a controversial Minnesota restaurant sign telling Muslims to "get out."

Earlier this month, following the weekend of the mall stabbing that took place in St. Cloud, residents of Lonsdale, Minnesota woke up to find a new message on the sign outside of Treat's Family Restaurant:

FOOD ICE CREAM M-SAT

CB FRY, POP 5.99 11-4

MUSLIMS GET OUT

Later, another statement was added to the sign:

IN SUPPORT OF ST CLOUD

In a statement made via Facebook, Dayton said that "while this business owner has a constitutional right to express his view, this kind of bigoted and divisive rhetoric is wrong. Contrary to rumors suggesting support for this action, Governor Dayton and Lt. Governor Smith strongly oppose this sign's destructive rhetoric."

"The Minnesota we value today was built in large part by immigrants and pioneers," Dayton continued.

"Today’s immigrants are of different races, cultures, and religions than the Germans, Scandinavians, and others of generations past. But their hard work and the opportunities they seek for themselves and their children are the same."

"Minnesota is stronger because of our immigrant neighbors. We must continue working to build a Minnesota that is welcoming to all who would call our state home."

St. Cloud Police Chief Blair Anderson said the deceased suspect in the mall stabbing, Dahir Ahmed Adan, referred to Allah during the attack and asked at least one victim if he was Muslim before assaulting him.

The Islamic State-linked AMAQ news agency reported that the terrorist group described Adan as a soldier of ISIS.

"The executor of the stabbing attacks in Minnesota yesterday was a soldier of the Islamic State and carried out the operation in response to the citizens of countries belonging to the crusader coalition," read a statement from AMAQ.

Investigators have so far found no evidence that Adan was linked to ISIS prior to the attack.

However, while testifying before the House Judiciary Committee in Washington D.C., FBI Director James Comey said Adan, 20, of St. Cloud, appears to have been motivated "by some sort of inspiration from radical Islamic groups."

Image via Minnesota Governor's Office