WASHINGTON: Muslims across the United States braced themselves for three days of protests, which began on Saturday, outside mosques and Islamic centres.

Last week, a group called Global Rally for Humanity put out a call for anti-Muslim demonstrations “in every county at every mosque.”

By Saturday, dozens of oth­er anti-Muslim groups also joined the call as their supporters began to rally outside Muslim religious sites in more than 30 American cities.

Most of these are small groups, with not more than a few dozen followers each. But police officials, while talking to various US media outlets, warned that the protests could turn violent.

At least one fringe group in Dearborn, Michigan, encouraged demonstrators to show up armed. Michigan is home to a large Muslim community, but it also allows its citizens to openly carry arms.

“This mix of racist groups, anti-Muslim groups and anti-government groups is basically a recipe for disaster,” Heidi Beirich, who tracks hate groups at the Southern Poverty Law Center, told The Washington Post.

In Plainfield, Indiana, Christian and Jewish community leaders joined their Mus­lim counterparts at the headquarters of the country’s largest Muslim organization, the Islamic Society of North Ame­ rica.

Professor Ken Barger from Veterans for Peace told the gathering that most Ameri­cans opposed the hate message sent out by the organizers of this protest and stood by the Muslim community.

“We are overwhelmed by the love and support of our interfaith friends who took the time out of their day to stand by our sides,” said ISNA Secretary General Hazem Bata.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play