Tense standoff outside US mosque over cartoon protest
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PHOENIX: Anti-Islam protesters—some of them heavily armed—faced off against religious rights demonstrators outside a US mosque Friday, in a tense but peaceful standoff.
About 200 demonstrators from each group stood outside the mosque in Phoenix, Arizona, where a biker crew had said they would hold a Mohammed cartoon contest.
Dozens of officers lined up between the two sets of protesters, using yellow police tape to separate them near the gates of the Islamic Community Center mosque in north Phoenix.
“Stop Islam” was among the slogans on placards held by bearded bikers, one of whom wore a T-shirt reading “Support Your Local White Boy” and had a shouting match with rival demonstrators across the police lines.
Several anti-Islam protesters were heavily armed—some with AR-15 assault rifles—and wore military fatigues. Arizona has some of the laxest gun laws in the United States.
But after several hours of tension, the standoff eased—though officers kept the two groups apart.
Organisers of the anti-Islam protests said on their Facebook page that it was in response to a recent failed attack in Texas where two gunmen were shot dead before they could storm an event including a Mohammed cartoon drawing competition.
“Everyone is encouraged to bring American flags and any message that you would like to send to the known acquaintances of the 2 gunman,” who frequented the Phoenix mosque, the Facebook page said.
The anti-Islam protest's organizer, former Marine Jon Ritzheimer, told CNN before the Friday night demonstration: “I think the whole thing, the cartoon contest especially, I think it's stupid and ridiculous.”
“But it's what needs to take place in order to expose the true colors of Islam,” he added.
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Comments (47) Closed
May 30, 2015 12:38pm
Civil society within Muslim community need to take front leadership not radical elements else situation going to worse from here.
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May 30, 2015 12:58pm
American secularism at work in a place where Mexicans were ousted from their homeland of TX and AR.
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May 30, 2015 01:07pm
This is the religious terrorism. I cannot recollect where any such incident took place against a church in Pakistan. This is an organised terrorism act where the terrorists have been allowed to endanger Muslims' worship place.
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May 30, 2015 01:12pm
America, by allowing this demonstration, has proven to be the worst country as for as religious tolerance is concerned.
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May 30, 2015 01:18pm
This is United States of America, the most successful nation in history. Their constitution allows free speech and after 9/11 Muslims are looked upon suspiciously and I don't blame.
It is within their rights to have a butchery near a mosque which sells posrk and also have a gay bar near it. It is NOT called Islamic Republic of America. It will never happen.
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May 30, 2015 01:27pm
How difficult is it to understand that Democracy does not only mean eating whatever you can find on the earth but also it brings Freedom of speech and expression? Expecting others to respect one's belief while lacking same consideration for others should end now.
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May 30, 2015 02:22pm
A few days ago bickers in America killed many people...and now they are after the Muslims. The Muslims in America are very organised and good Americans they should stay on their path of good citizenship.Peace and sense must prevail.
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May 30, 2015 03:52pm
@Dhanku
The fact is ,it is their actions and their insistence that they are right and others should accept their point of view even where they have gone as immigrants or refugees.Unfortunate such incidents will only further harden attitudes against Muslims worldwide.
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May 30, 2015 04:47pm
There were many Christians from neighboring churches of Phoenix who stood by Muslims to face off the Anti-Islam protesters. Bikers were from out of city areas.
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May 30, 2015 05:00pm
200 white bikers protesting against Muslims -- offset by 200 white liberals protecting Muslim freedom of religion. Classic America - lots of talk, no violence - freedom of speech works.
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May 30, 2015 05:00pm
"Several anti-Islam protesters were heavily armed—some with AR-15 assault rifles—and wore military fatigues"
WHO ARE THE TERRORISTS ????????????????
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May 30, 2015 05:09pm
Secularism, the enlightened moderation type at its best.
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May 30, 2015 05:19pm
Leave us muslims alone. Dont worry about muslims ideology. Worry about yourself. I feel that, westerners are made to fear about muslims and look upto muslims with suspecision. Sir, crime rate in USA is more than pakistan.
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May 30, 2015 05:47pm
Is that what they teach the US Marines? Wow.
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May 30, 2015 05:50pm
The criminals under the garb of freedom are using their right to spread hatred. This is freedom to cause dissension and cause harm.
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May 30, 2015 05:56pm
I hope a couple of decades later Americans will view these bigots in the same way as they view anti Semites today
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May 30, 2015 06:38pm
I have always feared this day would come...Americans are very tolerant people but the continuing violence caused by radical Muslims is destroying the reputation of moderate Muslims...if it continues all Muslims will be suspected terrorists and jihadis...it is time for moderate Muslims to take back their religion from the radicals...
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May 30, 2015 07:01pm
A true representation of freedom of speech in World's champion of Human Rights.
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May 30, 2015 08:08pm
@nayyer they didnt kill Anyone. American constitution gives them right to carry arms.
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May 30, 2015 08:14pm
@Eddied ,
In our religion Islam , there is no radical Muslims or moderate, respectively. Either, they are good Muslim or not good Muslim. Those who trying to spread hatred against Muslim are not civilized people as well.
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May 30, 2015 08:22pm
I have lived and read about many countries and I can say it with confidence that USA is the most Islamic country in the world. All sects of Islam including Shias, Ahmadis, Ismailis etc can practice their faith without any fear.
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May 30, 2015 08:47pm
The beauty of America, where everyone has the right to Free Speech.
I am a muslim but very glad of free speech granted to everyone here.
Also glad that this protest ended peacefully. Protestors with weapons is always scary, especially these bikers who are known outlaws and just recently killed people at a bar in Texas.
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May 30, 2015 08:50pm
The supporters from the muslim side were mostly christians which shows religious tolerance is still huge within the US. The majority of the population in the US are peace loving and religiously tolerant, including Muslims and Christians.
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May 30, 2015 08:54pm
@Saeed Masood. Agreed, Armed biker gangs are becoming a headache for law enforcement in the U.S. And they are looking for negative attention. They are labelled as OMGs (outlaw motorcycle gangs) such as Hells Angels and Bandidos. Surprisingly they recruit from armed forces members.
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May 30, 2015 08:55pm
@Eddied well said . ..sooner the community realizes better it is for the moderates. Already people here in U.S don't want to associate themselves with Muslims even With their friends in public.. Which I feel is wrong but again you don't know who is moderate and who is extreme!!
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May 30, 2015 09:02pm
@Sami Ullah Swati
American secularism works. And the Mexicans stole the land from native Americans, so dont start acting like the saviour of Mexicans.
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May 30, 2015 09:03pm
@Shaukat Ali
Churches are regularly attacked in pakistan! Id rather have a protest at a mosque rather than a syicide bonber as happened in peshawar killing 80 people. American extremists are not even a fraction as bad as muslim extremists.
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May 30, 2015 09:04pm
These guys are problems wherever they go, why don't they stay in their medival societies, instead of going west
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May 30, 2015 09:05pm
@aslam shaikh no wonder same white boys want to spread their version of democracy and freedom everywhere
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May 30, 2015 09:06pm
@ALLAM
Crime rate is higher in the usa? We don't have bombs here. I can walk down the street using a $1000 phone, and leave an expensive car on 95% of the streets here. Can you say the same about pakistan?
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May 30, 2015 10:51pm
If there are moderate muslims they need to show it by action and not words. They need to give the rights to other religions that they seek as immigrants in other countries.
If you cannot show your actions, then words mean nothing and ultimately it will be Christian Right wing, Atheist Right wing, Jewish Right wing, Buddhist right wing, and Hindu Right wing fighting a world war against the muslim right wing.
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May 30, 2015 11:06pm
@ALLAM : " Sir, crime rate in USA is more than pakistan."
Lol, good joke!
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May 30, 2015 11:23pm
1st and the 2nd amendment at its best. They have a right to protest in USA, freedom of expression, to bear arms, we have a right pray and bear arms as well. They shouldn't be stopped. We shouldn't be stopped. End of story.
No one benefits more from this standoff then the extremist; on both side.
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May 30, 2015 11:26pm
@Amin, This is nothing to do with secularism. US also has its share of bigots.
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May 31, 2015 12:02am
No one got hurt or killed. The American admin & security & legal system is just . People protested peacefully on both sides and went home. Many local church groups supported the muslims. This can only happen in a civilized nation like USA.
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May 31, 2015 02:36am
@Shaukat Ali But it's still the same country, where you can see long long queues of Pakistani people requesting for visas outsides American embassies in Karachi & Lahore & Islamabad
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May 31, 2015 04:41am
What would have happened if it was other way around in Saudi or Mosul / Syria , this is called freedom of speech.
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May 31, 2015 04:42am
@Ridwan It all depends which street you walk with $1000 phone and where you park your car. Location, location, location.
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May 31, 2015 05:32am
@nayyer But not a single bullet was fired. This is how freedom of speech works too. Give rights to free speech, ignore the bugots and they'll fade away. You start giving them room they would create more demonstrations.
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May 31, 2015 09:18am
Ignore - ignore - ignore
organizers of cartoon contest will fade away and no one will remember them.
please ignore, don't provide them a platform.
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May 31, 2015 10:19am
Muslims should have openly carried gun just like the hate prechers, then see biased CNN and other American network, and their comments.
Its time to get armed.
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May 31, 2015 11:27am
@Iqbal I am sorry, but I fail to understand what selling pork or having a gay bar near a mosque has to do with this protest??
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May 31, 2015 11:32am
@Eddied - I do respect your thoughts but please see the world through your eyes instead of FOX / CNN. Who made or portray these radical muslims in your mind - your media! You can not do what ever you want on the name of freedom of speech, safety of the american nation. History tells us - As you sow, so shall you reap.
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May 31, 2015 08:42pm
@nayyer The terrorist is the one who by threat of, or use of, weapons seeks to impose their own beliefs on other people. Like ISIS, like these mopes/bikers. The majority of Americans support free speech, freedom of religion, and all the rest. While I defend these rights I also can distinguish those who use the rights for their own stupidity, such as those who seek to provoke others to fight over such things as cartoons or films or literature. The more you make something stupid newsworthy, the more power it has. Ignore the manipulators, because it is attention they want.
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May 31, 2015 08:46pm
@Ridwan
Half truth is always dangerous, Sir. No such procession is allowed against any minority.
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May 31, 2015 09:56pm
@Abu.Ashhad That sounds very much like a threat. The U.S. will always have freedom of speech as a very basic human right. Mere words do not physically harm. You must learn to ignore unpleasant words, pictures, or cartoons in the same way that you ignore an unpleasant, or offensive odor. In the US we are taught at a very young age how to develope coping mechanisms to deal with offensive words, etc... Mental toughness is an essential skill for dealing with insults. You are capable of this. Resorting to violence will never be justified when your feelings have been hurt.
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May 31, 2015 10:22pm
@nayyer Heavily armed and NO ONE was hurt! Those were LEGAL registered gun owners! Its called Freedom of Speech. They were within their legal rights. This is America!
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