CAIR Urges Cities to Boost Security for Next Wave of Nationwide Hate Rallies on September 9

WASHINGTON, Aug. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on officials in cities targeted by a nationwide series of hate rallies scheduled for September 9 to step up security measures to ensure public safety.

[NOTE: Earlier today, CAIR's Minnesota chapter called on the FBI to investigate an online threat to shoot a Muslim woman running for Congress in that state. SEE: http://tinyurl.com/MuslimCandidateThreatened ]

CAIR says the hate group ACT for America, the sponsor of the planned 9/9 "America First" rallies, has previously hosted many of the same white supremacist groups and exhibited the same bigoted themes witnessed at the Charlottesville "Unite the Right" racist rally.

Imagine 2050: Anti-Muslim Group ACT to Declare "America First" in New Wave of Protests
http://imagine2050.newcomm.org/2017/07/26/act-america-first-protests/ 
NY: National Group Labeled 'Anti-Muslim' Plans Pro-Trump Rally in Syracuse
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2017/08/act_for_america_to_host_america_first_rally_in_dewitt_counter_rallies_planned.html
FL: Anti-Muslim Group Holding Pro-Trump Rally at Lake Eola in September
https://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2017/08/14/anti-muslim-group-holding-pro-trump-rally-at-lake-eola-in-september

Though the primary focus of ACT for America is to promote anti-Muslim policy and rhetoric, CAIR has documented an increasing unity of effort and ideology between it and other hate groups. Among the participants in ACT for America's June 2017 hate rallies were white nationalist organizations, including Vanguard America and Identity Evropa.

SEE: CAIR Calls Nationwide Anti-Islam Rallies a 'Bust,' Says Counter-Protests Far Overshadowed Hate Marches
http://cair.com/press-center/press-releases/14406-cair-calls-nationwide-anti-islam-rallies-a-bust-says-counter-protests-far-overshadowed-hate-marches.html

"ACT for America collaborates with groups that were present in Charlottesville and that espouse a similarly hateful vision for America," said Corey Saylor, director of CAIR's Department to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia. "ACT for America's September rallies are part of a 'Summer of Hate' and local jurisdictions should start making the necessary security preparations now."

SEE: The Hate That ACT for America Wrought
http://www.islamophobia.org/158-key-issues-in-islamophobia/207-the-hate-that-act-for-america-wrought.html 
CAIR Video: ACT for America is a Hate Group, Plain and Simple
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2BubWrtKHQ

James Alex Fields was photographed participating with Vanguard America in the Charlottesville "Unite the Right" rally shortly before he allegedly murdered one counter-protestor and injured many others. As a participant at the June ACT for America rally in Pennsylvania, Vanguard America spokesperson Francisco Rivera was quoted as saying: "I don't believe in having Muslims in the United States. Their culture is incompatible with ours."

SEE: Eight Things About the Group That Organized Deadly Hatefest in Charlottesville
http://forward.com/news/379922/8-things-about-the-group-that-organized-deadly-hatefest-in-charlottesville/ 
Anti-Sharia Demonstrators Hold Rallies in Cities Across the Country
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/anti-sharia-marches-planned-for-numerous-cities-across-the-country-saturday/2017/06/10/40faf61e-4d6f-11e7-a186-60c031eab644_story.html

The white supremacist group Identity Evropa, which was also present at Charlottesville, joined with ACT for America in several of its June rallies, including those in New York, Indiana and North Carolina. Peter Bokin -- who coordinated the Raleigh, N.C., rally -- "publicly thanked Identity Evropa" members for their presence.

SEE: Anti-Sharia Activists and Militia Members Protested in Raleigh Saturday. They Were Vastly Outnumbered.
https://www.indyweek.com/news/archives/2017/06/11/anti-sharia-activists-and-militia-members-protested-in-raleigh-saturday-they-were-vastly-outnumbered

Also present at the Charlottesville rally were the Oath Keepers, one of the largest anti-government groups in the country, which ACT for America invited to provide security for its June hate rallies.

America leader Hanah Kahwagi Tudor, who goes by the pseudonym "Brigitte Gabriel," has argued that, "America is at stage two Islamic Cancer." She believes "every practicing Muslim is a radical Muslim," a Muslim "cannot be a loyal citizen of the United States," and that Arabs "have no soul." Gabriel was pictured meeting with a Trump administration staffer in the White House earlier this year.

CAIR Islamophobia Monitor: ACT for America
http://www.islamophobia.org/islamophobic-orgs/act-for-america.html  
SPLC: Anti-Muslim Inner Circle
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/act-america 
Who is the Real Brigitte Gabriel?
https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2017/03/23/who-real-brigitte-gabriel

The hate group is also associated with disgraced former FBI agent John Guandolo, who created its Thin Blue Line project. Guandolo recently had a restraining order issued against him following allegations that he assaulted a Minnesota sheriff.

SEE: Exclusive - Anti-Muslim Conspiracy Theorist Guandolo Assaults Minn. Sheriff at NSA Conference, Per Court Documents
http://imagine2050.newcomm.org/2017/08/11/john-guandolo-assault-richard-stanek-national-sheriffs-association/

While ACT for America asserts that it has a "zero-tolerance policy for hate and intolerance," a flier on the group's letterhead proclaiming, "There has been a ban on Islam since 1952," was distributed at their June rally in California. The June rallies included Islamophobic rhetoric such as "Islam is the problem," "I want the Quran burned" and "End all Islamic Immigration." A rally speaker in Texas and a sign in New York also suggested that Muslims engage in bestiality.

In response to the recent spike in hate crimes targeting minorities, CAIR launched an app to share critical "know your rights" information and to simplify the process to report hate crimes and bias incidents. CAIR is urging American Muslims and members of other minority groups to download the app and utilize this resource to stay informed and empowered.

For a quick download of CAIR's civil rights app, click here: http://www.cair.com/app       

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

La misión de CAIR es mejorar la comprensión del Islam, fomentar el diálogo, proteger las libertades civiles, capacitar a los musulmanes estadounidenses, y construir coaliciones que promuevan la justicia y la comprensión mutua.

CONTACT: CAIR National Department to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia Director Corey Saylor, [email protected], 202-384-8857; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)

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