Anti-Muslim acts appear to be increasing in Minnesota

On Saturday, a 61-year-old Willmar man allegedly set a pig's foot near a group of Somali people who were selling goods at a farmers market.

Two days later, Regina Mustafa, a congressional candidate from Rochester, received a religiously motivated death threat online.

These most recent incidents follow what have become almost weekly events in the state. Anti-Muslim hate crimes are rising sharply this year in the state, according to the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR-MN.

In the last month, there was a still-unsolved bombing of a mosque in Bloomington and vandalism at a Muslim cemetery.

Joseph Fernkes, 61, was charged with disorderly conduct in connection with the Willmar incident, according to the West Central Tribune newspaper.

Ben Larson said the group harassed at the farmers market were part of his program teaching minority youth how to grow food. Larson heard from witnesses that the group was selling vegetables when Fernkes came by.

"He was going by the stand a few times ... and flipped them off, and was saying some nasty things about the prophet Muhammed," Larson said. "Then later [he] came back with a pig's foot and set it into one of our vegetable baskets. And said, 'here try to sell this you [expletive] Muslims.'"

Amir Malik CAIR-MN said the charge is too soft — he thinks it should be deemed a hate crime.

"It's clear that they're doing it based on religion," said Malik. "That's why we would put it as a hate crime."

In a statement, CAIR noted that "Muslims are prohibited from consuming pork products and bigots often use pigs or pork to offend Muslim sensibilities."

Prosecutors have not said if they're considering a hate crime charge. In the Rochester incident, an unnamed commentator said Mustafa would be shot.

She said she expected this sort of thing might happen when she entered the race for Congress, but she found actual comment disturbing.

"I determined that it was definitely enough of a clear threat to my safety that I needed to call the Rochester Police Department," she said. "It's very troubling."

Mustafa said friends have offered to provide security for her public appearances, and she'll accept those offers. Mustafa, who is legally blind, said it's almost impossible for her to assess security risks on the campaign trail.

"I want to take precautions," Mustafa said. "[I] have to be extra careful as I go out, but I'm not going to let it deter me from this race. I think that's what they want, rattle me up so much that I do drop out of the race."

Mustafa said people seem more emboldened to act out their hatred since last year's presidential campaign. She believes President Trump's comments on race relations including his statements about the recent violence in Charlottesvile, Va., have given people permission to express hatred.

But Mustafa said she has received a lot of support from friends and supporters. She said that's what it takes to defeat hate.

"We will stand up, and we will call for greater action," Mustafa said. "And we will get through this."