Man charged with hate crime in vandalism of S.F. mosque

A San Francisco man accused of using his skateboard to smash several windows at a mosque in the Lower Nob Hill neighborhood last week has been charged with a hate crime, prosecutors said Thursday.

Robert Gray, 35, was charged with felony vandalism with the special allegation of a hate crime, according to the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. As of Thursday night, Gray was in custody at the San Francisco County Jail, where he was being held on a $250,000 bond, according to jail records.

Gray’s arraignment was scheduled for Friday.

If convicted on all charges and a jury finds his acts constitute a hate crime, he could face six years in state prison, according to the DA’s office. Prosecutors said they will request that Gray be detained until his trial because they believe he poses a risk to public safety.

Gray is accused of vandalizing Masjid Al-Tawheed mosque on Sutter Street in San Francisco on April 4, the DA’s office said. Gray returned to the mosque on Wednesday night and police were notified. About 7:55 p.m., officers responded to the mosque regarding a report of a vandalism suspect, the DA’s office said. Officers found Gray and arrested him without incident. “Vandalism of this nature is completely unacceptable and is even more alarming as it occurred during the holy month of Ramadan and while Muslim families were present praying and worshiping,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “Our houses of worship are sacred spaces and targeting them in any way will not be tolerated in San Francisco. My office will make it clear that there is zero tolerance for those who commit any crimes targeting our religious spaces.”