UPDATE: Feb. 28, 4:45 p.m.
The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office says it has charged Johnathan Boone, 47, for what they said was his role in the religious-based vandalism at Masjidullah - The Center for Human Excellence Mosque on Feb. 24. They say a Philadelphia Police officer spotted Boone, leading to him being taken into police custody.
Boone faces charges of institutional vandalism, criminal mischief, two counts of possession of an instrument of crime, and defiant trespass. Boone also has a bench warrant for a harassment and criminal mischief case from 2014.
Original story follows
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Police have made an arrest in connection with vandalism at a West Oak Lane mosque.
The incident, which happened overnight on Friday, has brought several faith groups together in support of the Muslim community.
Mosque leaders say surveillance cameras caught a man spray-painting Christian and Jewish phrases and symbols on the Masjidullah Center for Human Excellence on Limekiln Pike. He got off a SEPTA bus, crossed Limekiln Pike, peeked through windows and then started to spray paint the mosque doors and walls.
Resident Imam Idris Abdul-Zahir said the man did not look familiar, but his actions made a statement.
“It just says that we don’t know who he is but he knows who we are and had some bad intentions for us,” he told NBC 10.
The Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), has condemned the man’s actions. Some Christian and Jewish congregations came out to condemn the vandalism and support the Masjidullah community.
Pastor Kevin Brown, with the Perfecting Church in South Jersey, said something like this is an attack on all people of faith.
“When we see something happen to one of us ,it’s as if it happened to all of us,” he told NBC 10.
A Congregation Rodeph Shalom synagogue on North Broad also came out in support of Masjidullah.
Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to call Philly Police.
KYW Staff contributed to this report.