Hate crimes investigation sought at Duke after ‘disturbing’ vandalism of Ramadan mural

The nation’s largest Muslim advocacy group is calling for a state and federal hate crimes investigation after a Ramadan mural was vandalized on Duke University’s campus.

The call for a hate crimes probe comes from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which called the Durham mural’s defacement “disturbing.”

The mural, painted on Duke’s Free Expression Bridge/Tunnel, noted the Islamic month of fasting, which ended in April. Part of its inscription read, “Millions of Muslims will spend Ramadan displaced,” a reference to the ongoing Israeli-Hamas war in Gaza.

Two parts of the mural were defaced:

First, this verse from the Quran, “Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful” had the word “not” painted into the middle.

Second, pictures of red cows were placed over flags of countries with Muslim majorities. Red heifers are associated with Old Testament prophecy and are sometimes used to call for the destruction of the Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, one of the holiest sites in Islam.

“Based on the type of vandalism, and on the unprecedented spike in anti-Muslim incidents nationwide in recent months, we urge university, state and federal law enforcement authorities to investigate this disturbing incident as a possible hate crime,” said CAIR Research and Advocacy Director Corey Saylor.

Duke officials noted that the campus discrimination and harassment policy includes a definition of Islamophobia added earlier this semester.

The mural graffiti has since been painted over.

“At Duke,” the email said, “we firmly believe in freedom of expression while creating a community of care. Hate has no place in the Duke community. Justice and equity are not just ideals; they are guiding principles that shape our interactions and decisions.”

Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to report it here. (https://students.duke.edu/get-assistance/report-an-incident/)