In 2024, CAIR received a record total of 8,658 complaints of anti-Muslim bias across the United States, marking a 7.4% increase from the previous year.

In addition to his jail term, Beacher will serve one year of supervised release, reflecting the serious nature of his actions.

The damage caused by Beacher's actions amounted to thousands of dollars, significantly impacting the community.

Beacher pleaded guilty in October 2024 to a federal hate crime for damaging religious property, with the sentencing taking place on April 1, 2025, which included an additional year of supervised release.

Jacob Beacher, a New Jersey man from North Plainfield, has been sentenced to six months in jail for vandalizing the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr.

A victim impact statement revealed the profound sense of shock and loss of safety experienced by the campus community following the attack.

Initially charged with obstruction of religious practice and making false statements, Beacher later admitted to being near the center but denied breaking in when questioned by the FBI.

This incident occurred amid reports of a recent increase in bias incidents in New Jersey, as highlighted by the state attorney general's office.

University officials confirmed that Beacher was not affiliated with Rutgers University.

The break-in occurred around 2:40 a.m. on April 10, 2024, when the center was unoccupied, resulting in an estimated $40,000 in damage to religious artifacts, alongside the theft of a Palestinian flag and a charity box.

CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut emphasized that the attack's impact extended beyond property damage, instilling fear and trauma within the community.

The statement noted Beacher's long-standing Islamophobic behavior, which reportedly began in high school and culminated in this violent act against the Islamic center.