CINCINNATI, OHIO — FOX19 reported that the center sustained damage including broken windows, holes in the wall, overturned tables, and a trashed office and food pantry. A surveillance camera and television monitors were stolen during the break-in.

No suspects have been apprehended in connection with the attack. The center is located in a majority-Black neighborhood in west Cincinnati.

The center houses a mosque and a food pantry. About 25 people gather to pray at the mosque on most Fridays.

A previous break-in involved racist comments graffitied on the center’s walls. Shakir said the previous incidents involved vandalism, but the specific outcomes of these earlier incidents are not detailed in the sources.

Timeline

On 3 August 2025, the Westwood Islamic Community Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, was broken into. On that same date, assailants used wire cutters to break a window and enter the Westwood Islamic Community Center.

Also on 3 August 2025, swear words including the word "die" and other profanity were written on a whiteboard at the Westwood Islamic Community Center. A surveillance camera and television monitors were stolen from the Westwood Islamic Community Center during the 3 August break-in. Two posters containing lines in Arabic from the Quran were damaged at the Westwood Islamic Community Center on 3 August 2025.

What's New

Local12.com reported that the official record mentions that the perpetrators cut through a screen and metal bars over a window to gain entry and left the message “F the opps, die” on a whiteboard inside the center. FOX19 reported that the Cincinnati Islamic Community Center plans to attend Cincinnati City Council next week to ask members to officially condemn the violence.

FOX19 reported that Nashid Shakir, a board member, said the Westwood Islamic Community Center had been targeted at least two other times in the past six or seven years. He said the previous incidents involved vandalism, but the specific outcomes of these earlier incidents are not detailed in the sources. FOX19 also reported that he said the Westwood Islamic Community Center has been broken into at least three times in the past six or seven years.

Why It Matters

The incident reflects a broader pattern of targeting religious institutions, with the 3 August break-in marking the third such event at this location in seven years. The lack of apprehended suspects leaves the community without resolution while facing repeated vandalism and theft.

Critics argue that anti-Muslim sentiment has become more blatant in recent years. Raqib Naik, executive director, said the idea that Muslims are coming to ‘take over’ America is more mainstream and noted that 65 members of Congress have formed a so-called ‘Sharia-Free America caucus.’