Standing In Solidarity With Victims Of San Diego Mosque Shooting

Borough President Vito Fossella, NYD Borough Commander Melissa Eger, District Attorney Michael McMahon and interfaith leaders from across Staten Island took a stand against violent hate crimes committed against people for solely practicing their faith in peace.
 
They joined together in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of three worshippers at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday. San Diego authorities have identified the shooting as a hate crime.
 
“The First Amendment of the United States Constitution, the first words that are given to the folks who live in this country, is basically the right to express their religion,” said Borough President Fossella at a press conference outside of Borough Hall. “They felt people should be able to express it without persecution, without condemnation, without being assaulted, without being jailed because that was the healthiest thing for this country. We pray for those who were injured, we pray for those who were killed.”
 
Imam Tahir Kukaj, vice president of the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center of Staten Island, said the reason for today’ gathering is to “pray for the victims of San Diego and to send a message of unity and respect that we share here on Staten Island.”
 
“Wherever it happens, whatever type of hate or killing against anybody, we come together on Staten Island,” he said. “We are always together. We send our prayers to the victims and their families in San Diego. We pray that less of these events or zero of these events happen anywhere in the world. As long as we stand shoulder-to-shoulder, one-by-one together, hate has no place on Staten Island.”
 
NYPD Commander Eger said the prayers of the entire Staten Island police force are with the victims of the San Diego shooting. She said the NYPD has increased its presence and visibility at houses of worship across the five boroughs “to ensure we remain proactive and safeguard our communities at all times.”
 
“Nobody should ever, ever fear gathering in prayer or in fear of practicing their faith,” she said. “The right to worship freely and peacefully is something that we, the NYPD, will always protect.”