New York, Chicago, and Seattle witnessed large counter-protests
A far-right wing organization named ACT for America, by the Southern Poverty Law Center, on Saturday held anti-Muslim rallies in nearly 30 locations across the United States; however, the demonstrators were outnumbered by counter-protesters in most of the cities.
ACT for America calls themselves as the nation’s largest anti-Muslim hate group and claims that their rallies, intentionally scheduled for Ramadan, are actually anti-Sharia rallies.
However, the people who attended the anti-Muslim protests were less in number and cities like New York, Chicago, and Seattle witnessed large counter-protests, The Guardian reported.
According to the report, Counter-protesters marched to City Hall confronting few dozen Anti-Muslim protesters with banged drums, cymbals and cowbells behind a large sign saying “Seattle stands with our Muslim neighbors” and chanting “No hate, no fear, Muslims are welcome here.”
Police used tear gas to disperse uncontrollable demonstrators, later; and, made several arrests. There were incidents of brawls between both sides, and police arrested seven people for violence.
The Chicago rallies were held near a building developed by President Donald Trump. Around 75 people chanting “Racists out!” confronted about 30 demonstrators holding signs that read “Ban Shaira” and “Sharia abuses women.”
In a park near New York courthouse, counter-protesters used air-horns and banged pots and pans to silence an anti-Sharia rally.
Earlier, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal denounced Saturday’s anti-Muslim hate rallies in a press conference on the steps of Capitol Hills.
The Indian American congresswoman, along with Democrat Reps. John Conyers, Shelia Jackson Lee, Ruben Gallego and others, slammed ACT on Thursday for stroking hate against American Muslims, The Daily Beast Reported.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations in May said that the number of anti-Muslim incidents surged 57 percent last year compared to the year 2015. According to a recent report Power, Pain, Potential by SAALT there have been about 207 incidents of violence and xenophobic potential rhetoric aimed at South Asian, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Arab, and Middle Eastern American Communities during the divisive 2016 elections.