Texas man arrested for entering mosque, shouting obscenities, and wiping boots on prayer rugs

Mariano Talavera was arrested for trespassing a mosque in San Antonio, Texas (Bexar Country Sheriff's Office)

A man was arrested by the police on Tuesday after he trespassed on a mosque in San Antonio, Texas, hurled obscenities and then wiped his boots on prayer rugs.

Mariano Talavera, 38, was detained after he went inside the Islamic Center of San Antonio on Fairhaven Street, carrying an American flag and a large backpack, according to KENS5 Eyewitness News.

Talavera's trespassing prompted the Islamic Academy of San Antonio, which is yards away from the mosque, to cancel classes Thursday and Friday as the school reviewed security measures.

Solomon Hamide, president of the centre, said Talavera went into the men's prayer room and rubbed his boots on the carpet. He was asked to remove his shoes out of respect but proceeded to the women's prayer room and dragged his shoes on the carpet while shouting obscenities and cursing Islam.

This prompted the centre to call the police. Talavera claimed that he was at the center to worship.

"This guy did more than just walk on the rugs. He was cleaning his shoes on them, shouting profanity at the people, profanity at God," said Sarwat Husain, president of the Council on American-Islamic Relations of San Antonio.

Talavera was arrested for criminal trespassing on private property. He was previously convicted for resisting arrest in 2014.

Husain said hate crimes against Muslims in Texas have increased in recent weeks.

"We urge local law enforcement authorities to step up patrols in the area of the mosque and to meet with Muslim community leaders to discuss enhancing security measures," she said.

Husain said the incident is part of the backlash against the American Muslim community since the recent terror attacks in Paris.

Centre officials said they did not want to press charges against Talavera for fear of backlash.

There are about 10,000 Muslims in San Antonio, the report said.

related articles
Faith leaders ask President Obama to welcome Syrian refugees despite opposition from Republican governors
Faith leaders ask President Obama to welcome Syrian refugees despite opposition from Republican governors

Faith leaders ask President Obama to welcome Syrian refugees despite opposition from Republican governors

Hillary Clinton defends Islam, says it\'s a religion of peace and that Muslims have nothing to do with terrorism
Hillary Clinton defends Islam, says it's a religion of peace and that Muslims have nothing to do with terrorism

Hillary Clinton defends Islam, says it's a religion of peace and that Muslims have nothing to do with terrorism

California teacher tells students to sing Islam song praising Allah right after Paris terror attacks, angering parents
California teacher tells students to sing Islam song praising Allah right after Paris terror attacks, angering parents

California teacher tells students to sing Islam song praising Allah right after Paris terror attacks, angering parents

Islamic group\'s meeting to present mosque plan gets ugly as protesters shout, \'Every Muslim is a terrorist!\'
Islamic group's meeting to present mosque plan gets ugly as protesters shout, 'Every Muslim is a terrorist!'

Islamic group's meeting to present mosque plan gets ugly as protesters shout, 'Every Muslim is a terrorist!'

The wholly unIslamic, blasphemous nature of Islamic State
The wholly unIslamic, blasphemous nature of Islamic State

The wholly unIslamic, blasphemous nature of Islamic State

President Obama appears to admit he\'s a Muslim in Turkey speech, and this isn\'t the first time he\'s done it
President Obama appears to admit he's a Muslim in Turkey speech, and this isn't the first time he's done it

President Obama appears to admit he's a Muslim in Turkey speech, and this isn't the first time he's done it

Pope\'s Africa visit highlights huge growth in the Church across the continent
Pope's Africa visit highlights huge growth in the Church across the continent

Pope's Africa visit highlights huge growth in the Church across the continent

Top Egyptian Muslim: Terrorists suffering \
Top Egyptian Muslim: Terrorists suffering "intellectual and psychological disease"

Top Egyptian Muslim: Terrorists suffering "intellectual and psychological disease"

News
Sex offender ‘manipulating’ system to stay in the UK as ‘Christian’ asylum seeker
Sex offender ‘manipulating’ system to stay in the UK as ‘Christian’ asylum seeker

Immigration judges found his history of sexual offences did not invalidate his claim to Christian conversion

Disappointment as St Albans council votes to end prayers before meetings
Disappointment as St Albans council votes to end prayers before meetings

A local Christian leader in the city of St Albans has criticized a vote by the council to scrap prayers before official meetings.

Who was St Joseph and what do we know about him?
Who was St Joseph and what do we know about him?

The 19th of March is St Joseph’s Day, which in some countries is known as Father’s Day, but who was St Joseph and what do we know about him? This is the story …

Calls for urgent policy reforms to address widening marriage gap between rich and poor
Calls for urgent policy reforms to address widening marriage gap between rich and poor

A new report released by the Marriage Foundation has called for urgent policy changes by the government to address what it describes as a "calamitous" marriage gap of 51 per cent between wealthy and low-income couples.