Photo courtesy of Anadolu
Belgian police are investigating after a swastika was found painted on a mosque in the Laeken district of Brussels early Sunday, drawing condemnation from city officials.
Brussels Minister for Local Government and Equal Opportunities Ahmed Laaouej said the vandalism was discovered at around 1 a.m. and described the incident as an Islamophobic act.
Authorities were informed shortly after the discovery and began preparing an official report as part of efforts to determine who was behind the vandalism.
Laaouej later went to the mosque with Brussels Alderman for Religious Affairs Khalid Zian to meet members of the community and express support for worshippers.
The minister condemned the use of Nazi imagery at a place of worship, saying the appearance of such a symbol made the incident especially serious.
No suspect or possible motive beyond the suspected anti-Muslim nature of the vandalism had been publicly identified in the information available.
Investigators are expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident and gather evidence that could help identify those responsible.
Officials said authorities would pursue the case while emphasizing solidarity with the mosque community following the incident.