The Minneapolis Police Department is investigating a vandalism incident from the end of September targeting state Sen. Omar Fateh’s mayoral campaign office as a “terroristic threat.”

Officers responded to a graffiti report Sept. 24 at Fateh’s campaign headquarters. The message, which read “Somali Muslim – this warning is no joke,” was shared by the campaign on X.

According to the police brief, officers responded to the report and observed a handwritten message on an alcove wall on the outside of Fateh’s offices. 

MPD Public Information Officer Sgt. Garrett Parten said the investigation remains active.

“There have been no arrests in this case, and it is still open,” Parten said. “We are following leads.”

According to the police brief, Fateh’s campaign was not sure when the message had been written. They had noticed it the day before they called the police.

MPD referred the incident to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Team. This is not the first time MPD has investigated an incident involving Fateh. 

The graffiti is classified as a “terroristic threat” based on the location of the incident and the nature of the language, the police said in an email statement to the Minnesota Daily.

“MPD takes all threats seriously,” MPD said in a written statement. “Any threats that appear bias-motivated, or that target high-profile individuals such as elected officials or candidates for office, will be investigated accordingly.”

Fateh affirmed his commitment to his campaign in an email statement, stating the campaign will not be deterred by hate speech or vandalism. 

“The people of Minneapolis are demanding change, and I will continue fighting for it. My team and I are dedicated to continuing to connect with Minneapolis residents and winning this election,” Fateh said. “We will not be stopped.”

Dahir Munye, president of the UMN Somali Student Association, said while the SSA is not politically affiliated, they strongly oppose any form of targeted violence.

“We’re not a political organization, but we don’t condone violence against anyone,” Munye said. “Regardless of party affiliation, no one should be threatened for participating in politics — especially here in Minnesota. That’s not who we are.”

He added that political disagreements should never escalate into intimidation.

“Everyone running for mayor wants what’s best for Minneapolis,” Munye said. “Turning it into something violent is never the right response. What happened was wrong, no matter who it happened to.”

Correction: There was a misnaming of the Somali Student Association. The correct abbreviation is SSA.