It was an attack against the mosque: the target of the fire set last night in Via del Collegio, in the Marina district of Cagliari , was apparently the Islamic place of worship.
The ignition source found in front of the front door, containing flammable liquid, supports this hypothesis: from there, the fire spread to the entrances of nearby homes and destroyed the plants placed outside.
The alarm was raised at 3:30 a.m. Residents of the neighborhood managed to put out the flames before firefighters arrived, thus preventing further damage.
The Carabinieri, who responded to the incident during the night following a report, are currently investigating .
"We've been here for almost 40 years and nothing like this has ever happened," commented Cagliari imam Mehrez Triki. "We're surprised because we don't have any problems with anyone in the neighborhood. In fact, I consider them all brothers, and in fact they're helping us repair the damage."
Regional Council President Piero Comandini also weighed in on the matter: "Any act of religious intolerance, vandalism, and street violence cannot be underestimated and must be firmly condemned. Thanks go to those who promptly intervened to put out the fire and limit the damage. We await law enforcement's clarification of what happened," he said.
Regional President Alessandra Todde also spoke out on the matter: "What happened last night at the mosque on Via del Collegio in Cagliari is a serious matter that must be firmly condemned. I express my solidarity with the Muslim community in our city and throughout Sardinia. Every place of worship must be respected and protected, because religious freedom is a fundamental principle of our democracy and civil coexistence. No act of intolerance, vandalism, or violence has any place in our community."