From the Moreland Community News:

Vandal gang strikes again
School damaged for eighth time in as many weeks
By Charmaine Camilleri

A MUSLIM school in Coburg North was vandalised last week for the eighth time in two months.

The Australian International Academy, in Bakers Road, suspects the vandalism was religiously motivated and that the same gang is responsible for each attack.

Last Friday morning, shocked students and teachers turned up to find 42 windows across the school smashed and hateful messages graffitied across a building.

A section of the oval fence was also cut and destroyed.

Chief financial officer Fayzah Saleh said the school community was devastated.

“You can imagine the big frustration we have. We don’t know why this is happening. lt’s a question mark,” she said.

Ms Saleh said cleaners were asked to clean up the damage before students and teachers were allowed to enter the classrooms.

She said a school assembly was held that morning to calm students.

“We told them not to feel scared and that they should be proud of themselves. We tried to calm them down.”

“We want to ensure the safety of the students and the school as well.” Ms Saleh said the vandalism started two months ago and attacks had escalated.

“We would be getting to school and finding the windows of the main entrance smashed.”

Every time we would repair the glass, the same night they would come and smash it.”

“It would happen at the start of every second week.”

“It cost us about $1200 each time, but this time it will cost us no less than $10,000 to fix it.”

“They’re very professional, they know what they are doing.” Police are asking witnesses or anyone with information to assist them with the investigation.

Information to Moreland CIU, 93556052, or Crime Stoppers, 1800333000.