CLOVIS, N.M. (KRQE) – Vandals left their mark on a mosque in New Mexico and what they wrote on that mosque is raising eyebrows.
On the corner of Mitchell and Ninth street in Clovis sits the Golden Mosque. This past weekend, vandals paid a visit to the building. A neighbor noticed the vandalism right away Monday morning.
“I pass by this every day and it was about 7:30 this morning, and of course you’re going to notice big red spray paint,” said Toni Pop.
The red spray paint reads, “Happy Birthday Jesus Christ. From a real Christain.” On the front of the building, the vandal wrote: “Trump” on the door, while misspelling “Christian” again on the front sign.
Clovis city officials aren’t sure if the mosque is still open and they’re not sure who owns the building. Police say that makes charging someone with a hate crime difficult.
With no building owner and no identifiable “victim,” police say the only charge might be for vandalism. Whatever the charge, the spray paint is upsetting to people.
“This shouldn’t be happening regardless or not if it’s an active mosque or inactive. No one should be able to feel that. It’s not a good feeling,” Pop said.
The city says they are aware of the graffiti and plan to clean it up. Police say they have seen similar graffiti in other places around town, but they have not arrested a suspect yet.
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