CHICAGO (CBS) — A business owner in Chicago’s Lincoln Square neighborhood says he has been targeted because of his faith.
At Redzovic Jiu-Jitsu, at 4900 N. Lincoln Ave., they train for anything. But nothing has prepared them for someone who has opened fire on the business twice this summer alone.
“It’s either a BB gun or a bullet,” he said Idriz Redzovic.
The broken glass outside the door leaves Redzovic and his cousin, who owns the gym, wondering what is really going on.
“I hope someone is being naughty,” Redzovic said, “because if not, that’s worrying.”
Surveillance footage shows someone pulling up to a vehicle late last night and shooting into the glass. What’s disturbing is that this is the second time in recent weeks that Redzovic Jiu-Jitsu has been targeted.
“I think they connect the Islamic faith because me and my cousin run a very popular talk show, ‘The Deen Show,’ and he has millions and millions of followers all over the world,” Redzovic said.
In the YouTube broadcast, the owner talks about Muslim issues.
“I don’t know if they’re targeting him because there are things he films here sometimes, and I don’t know if they’re targeting him because of our faith, and because it’s a Muslim company and Muslim-owned,” Redzovic said.
The gym has been located at the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Ainslie Street since 2000, but problems only recently began to arise.
“The first two times they didn’t hit anyone,” Redzovic said, “but the third time they might have hit someone.”
A little over a mile away, a week earlier, broken glass was also seen at the Muslim Community Center at Elston and Montrose Avenues. There was no video of that incident, but the Council on American Islamic Relations Chicago said it points to an increase in violence against Muslim-owned businesses and the community.
“On Facebook and Instagram, you see a lot of hatred towards Islam and Muslims around this time of year. I don’t know if that’s because tomorrow is 9/11,” Redzovic said.
Chicago police detectives are investigating the latest vandalism at the jiu-jitsu gym and the other incident in July. They have not called it a hate crime.
As for Redzovic, he said, “I want this to stop.”
Jermont Terry
