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Outrage as giant Islamic crescent moon erected atop Arizona mountain to commemorate Ramadan is DESTROYED

By LAUREN ACTON-TAYLOR, US NEWS REPORTER

Published: 10:22 EDT, 18 March 2026 | Updated: 14:01 EDT, 18 March 2026

A 15-foot crescent moon that was created by students to commemorate Ramadan was destroyed on top of an Arizona mountain.

The City of Tempe announced Tuesday that the symbol atop A Mountain, where other religious symbols have been displayed, was found 'completely destroyed' after being reinstalled just years ago.

'A student group designed and built a 15-foot-tall crescent moon to shine a light on the holiday [of Ramadan] for the entire community,' read a statement from the city posted on X.

'It stood on A Mountain, just like religious symbols of other faiths have done in the past. It was found completely destroyed today.'

'The crescent moon is a key symbol of Ramadan, representing spiritual renewal, prayer and reflection,' the City of Tempe continued.

'There is no place in our community for this kind of hate. People of all faiths are welcome in Tempe and they have the right to feel safe and be safe.'

'Tempe Police are continuing to provide additional patrols near places of worship this holiday season and city leaders will continue to have conversations with faith leaders of all religions to maintain peace and safety throughout Tempe,' it concluded.

According to Tempe police, the damage totaled around $20,000 and an investigation has been launched, 12 News reported.

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Ramadan is a sacred time for Muslims, marking the ninth month in the Islamic calendar during which the Quran was sent down to the Prophet Muhammed, according to the American Halal Foundation.

The month is a time for Muslims to worship, reflect on the Quran, strive to perform charitable acts and observe fasting during daylight hours as an act of devotion and self-discipline.

The Arizona Muslim Alliance, the shura council for Arizona mosques and Muslim nonprofits and the Muslim Student Association at Arizona State University partnered up in 2023 to reinstate the structure, which had not been seen on the landmark for 20 years.

The light up crescent moon sat 1,000 feet above downtown Tempe where other similar religious symbols, including the wise men at Christmas, the cross at Easter and the Hannukkah star, have been displayed.

This year, the structure was put up as Ramadan began on February 17. Ramadan is set to end on Thursday, with celebrations extending into the weekend.

The exact beginning and ending of Ramadan is marked by the sighting of the first crescent moon on the last night of the eighth month.

'Muslims from across the state came to view the giant lighted crescent, noting that the representation was so important for their children to see,' a fundraiser for the project said.

'Non-Muslims also inquired at the Islamic Community Center of Tempe, located just below the structure in downtown, about the symbol and what Ramadan meant to the hundreds of Muslims who live in the Phoenix valley.'

The Arizona Muslim Alliance said the symbol was created with the help of volunteers, donors and the Authentic Grain Woodworking construction company.

'My MSA team and I came across the star and the menorah that were up for both Hanukkah and Christmas on A Mountain,' MSA President Wid Alsabah, a biomedical engineering student at the time, said in a post on Facebook.

'We couldn't help but notice the absence of the Islamic crescent for Ramadan, which left us feeling disappointed due to the lack of representation.'

'Our journey began with a modest idea, but it took a lot of determination, support and prayer to make it a reality,' Alsabah continued. 'We hope to make the display of the Crescent an annual tradition during Ramadan, with the assistance and support of the community.'

Sumaya Abdul-Quadir, a local involved in the project at the time, wrote on Facebook that the structure in Tempe was the first time she had seen Islam represented 'in the mainstream.'

'It was such a big deal to me and I felt seen in a way I had not previously felt in the first 18 years of my life,' she wrote.

'My hope is that, with something like this crescent, we can set the stage for American Muslims to be seen, accepted and celebrated as a part of this country.'

The destruction of the structure comes as war in Iran has sparked rising tensions, following a missile attack by the United States and Israel that killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Tempe officials had already increased security around places of worship before the structure was damaged, according to Arizona Family. Patrols are set to continue through the holiday season.

The Daily Mail reached out to the City of Tempe and the Tempe Police Department for comment.