THE BRONX, N.Y. — The NYPD is investigating a possible bias crime after the lockers of two Muslim cops were vandalized with hateful messages according to PIX11.
According to police, the graffiti was discovered on Saturday in the men's locker room of Transit District 11 in the Bronx. The messages included "Muslims" below one officer's name and "F*** you, Muslim b****" below the second officer's name.
The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) and the NYPD Muslim Officers Society have both condemned the incident.
“No officer should have to face this sort of bigotry, but it’s especially disturbing to see it happen in their own station,” CAIR-NY Legal Director Albert Fox Cahn said in a statement.
“We are gratified to see this harassment being taken seriously by the NYPD. This hatred has no place in our city, and it certainly should have no place in our police force.”
There are about 1,000 Muslim officers serving in the NYPD.
"We are extremely disappointed to learn about a bias incident targeting Muslim officers which recently occurred at Transit District 11," NYPD Muslim Officers Society said.
"The NYPD is the greatest and most diverse police force in the world responsible for protecting the greatest city on earth and this type of behavior will not be tolerated."
Two dozen lockers of non-Muslim cops were also vandalized, sources told PIX11.
Sources said the commanding officer of Transit District 11, Deputy Inspector Zaheer Azeez, also identifies as Muslim but does not appear to have been targeted.
