Hundreds of Arizona residents gather outside Phoenix mosque in support of Muslim community

Thursday 04 Jun 2015 - 11:17 Makkah mean time-17-8-1436

(Image from the guardian )

Arizona, (IINA) - Sending a powerful message against hate, hundreds of Arizona residents gathered outside Phoenix mosque to support the Muslim community a few days after an anti-Islam protest staged by armed bikers, according to media reports.
Called "Love is Stronger than Hate", the interfaith rally was attended by 20 groups, including the Arizona Faith Network, the Women's Jewish Learning Center and the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Arizona.
“There’s a movement to tear down and separate out our community, but I’d like people to understand that we are stronger together,” Rev. Erin Tamayo, executive director of the Arizona Faith Network, one of the organizations behind the vigil, told Huffington Post on Tuesday.
As participants were urged to bring flowers, organizers said that the purpose of the event was to show that "when one of us is mistreated, our community responds with a message of love and not hate."
"We ask that you bring a FLOWER as a symbol of love and care," the event organizers said on Facebook, Reuters reported.
Welcoming Monday’s interfaith event, Phoenix Muslim leaders said they were overwhelmed by messages of support they received after the anti-Islam rally.
“What this shows is that these bigots are the exception,” Usama Shami, president of the Islamic Community Center of Phoenix, told The Huffington Post.
“This hate is the exception. A lot of people don’t have the same faith, but when it comes to the freedom to worship, the faith community as a whole stands shoulder to shoulder.”
Other Muslim leaders were surprised by the supportive reactions of the wider community.
Speaking at the event, many religious leaders condemned Friday's anti-Islam rally as "horrific".
"It was the most horrific scene I've ever seen or experienced," Pastor Bob Hake, who helped to create a human shield between protesters and the mosque Friday, said.
Monday's rally was not the first interfaith initiative to the show solidarity with Phoenix Muslims community.
Last week, interfaith advocates launched an online campaign, #NotMyAmerica, to respond to mosque protests with a message of inclusion.
SM/IINA

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