(OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, 7/10/2019) – The Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-OK) today condemned Islamophobic graffiti that appeared on a Tulsa billboard advertisement for a local exhibition of Islamic art.

On Wednesday, July 10, an unknown vandal spray-painted the words “Home Grown Terror!” on a billboard advertising an art show featuring “1200 Years of Islamic Art.” Also similarly vandalized was a Geico boating insurance advertisement placed below.

SEE: Tulsa Billboards Vandalized with Apparent Anti-Islamic Phrase
https://www.newson6.com/story/40773468/tulsa-billboards-vandalized-with-apparent-antiislamic-phrase

“We are saddened and frustrated to see that Islamophobia has touched something as beautiful as Philbrook’s efforts to showcase the diversity, beauty and artistic creation of the Islamic world,” said CAIR-OK Civil Rights Director Veronica Laizure. “Philbrook’s exhibition shows now, more than ever, the importance of our understanding and appreciation of the Muslim community, both here and abroad.”

Laizure added: “We also hope that this act of vandalism will be fully investigated, that the perpetrator be brought to justice, and that, if appropriate, hate crime charges will be brought against the vandals who attempt to sow more division and hatred in our communities.”

The art exhibition, “Wondrous Worlds: Art and Islam,” is on display at Tulsa’s Philbrook Museum of Art until October 6. It features a collection of artistic creations curated from 1,200 years of Islamic history, centered around the themes of architecture, hospitality, clothing, the art of writing, and cross-cultural exchange. The exhibition includes objects from across the Islamic world as well as contemporary additions showing how artists today incorporate historic traditions in innovative new works. It is currently the most extensive exhibition of Islamic art ever to be shown in Oklahoma.

SEE: Philbrook to Host Islamic Art Exhibit
https://www.tulsaworld.com/entertainment/arts-scene-philbrook-to-host-islamic-art-exhibit/article_014a282b-7727-5442-a428-59d28cc8455e.html

CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.