Media Advisory

WHO: Bloomington Mayor and City Council
WHAT: Message to the community regarding the incident at Dar Al Farooq Community Center
WHEN: Monday, August 7, 7 p.m.
WHERE: Bloomington Civic Plaza, City Council Chambers, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Road

The Mayor will read the message below at the beginning of the August 7 City Council meeting.

The message will also be streamed live via the City's Facebook page.

The entire City Council meeting will be streamed on the City's website.

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August 7, 2017

Message from the Bloomington City Council

Bloomington, MN—On behalf of the City Council and the residents of Bloomington, we would like all of the people who worship at Dar Al Farooq Community Center and the Muslim community here in Bloomington and in Minnesota to know that we stand in unity with you. Our thoughts are with you and those whose lives were impacted by the disgraceful act of violence this past Saturday. When a criminal act of this nature is committed against one of us in this community, it is committed against all of us.

Dar Al Farooq came to this community about six years ago and acquired the property and the building of what was formerly Concordia High School in northeast Bloomington. It is the second Islamic place of worship in the city. This faith-based organization is thriving, as demonstrated by the level of participation in the center’s activities.

Bloomington is a great city and a place where everyone should feel welcome. A city where we acknowledge our differences and want all individuals to feel safe and respected. We support everyone’s right to safely worship the faith of their choosing. We embrace the city’s growing diversity with inclusion and equity at the core.

We will continue our work through the Government Alliance on Race and Equity and the work we are doing to advance the City Council's strategic priorities of Inclusion and Equity, and Community Image. This work is even more timely and relevant in light of this past weekend’s event. More than a year ago, the City Council was united in these issues that were important in drafting a strategic plan for the future. As Council representatives, we are elected to serve everyone in our community, which means we are here to serve everyone in our community.

Whoever has damaged Dar Al Farooq Community Center and would willfully try to harm members of our community will be held accountable. The damage was caused by an improvised explosive device and was contained to a portion of the building. Thankfully, no one was injured. Because this is a federal crime, the FBI is the lead agency in this investigation. They are working in cooperation with Bloomington Police and other law enforcement partners to solve this crime and bring whoever was responsible to justice.

We are so pleased to see that many Bloomington residents have already responded by showing their support for Dar Al Farooq. We ask all members of this community to stand as one Bloomington with kindness, compassion, respect and understanding of one another. We do not go it alone to make a better community; we come together as one. No act of violence will keep us from our goals, but only make us stronger and more committed for a better future for everyone

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Staff contact

Janine Hill
Communications Administrator
952-563-8819
JHill@bloomingtonmn.gov

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