Gainesville, FL – Chanting, “When the Muslim people are under attack, what do we do? Stand up fight back!” about 300 people rallied and marched here Sept. 11 in response to the threatened Qur’an burning by Pastor Terry Jones's church, the Dove World Outreach Center. The protest was organized by the Gainesville Area Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and it received support from the community at large.

The protest began at Possum Creek Park, where speakers denounced the anti-Muslim bigotry and racism that is spread by the Dove World Outreach Center. From there, demonstrators marched to the church. Cops prevented protesters from using bull horns, but they were not silent. Among their chants was, “Same thing every time, being Muslim’s not a crime!” and, “Hey hey, ho ho! Terry Jones has got to go!” Students for a Democratic Society carried a large banner reading, “SDS stands against bigotry and racism.”

Justin Wooten, a protest organizer and member of SDS stated, “We sent a message to the world that our community is opposed to racism and anti -Muslim bigotry. We know that reactionary politicians who promote hatred of Muslims have a deeper agenda. They are prompting the racism and inequality that’s faced by Arabs, South East Asians and African Americans. And they are supporting U.S. wars and occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq.” Wooten also noted that backers of Israel have worked hard to support anti-Muslim bigotry.

The Gainesville protest was one of the many that took place across the United States on Sept. 11. In New York City, 10,000 people rallied in solidarity with the Muslim community in the struggle over the Islamic Community Center near the World Trade Center site. Other protests against anti-Muslim bigotry took place in a number of cities, including Minneapolis, Ashville, North Carolina and Chicago.

#GainesvilleFL #StudentMovement #Islamophobia #GainesvilleAreaStudentsForADemocraticSocietySDS #KoranBurning

Chicago, IL – Students in Chicago came together today to oppose the threatened Qu’ran burning by the Dove Church in Gainesville, Florida. As part of a nationwide response, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) chapters from the University of Illinois-Chicago, Wright College and Columbia College joined together with others from Northeastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University and the Palestine Solidarity Group.

As cars driving by honked in support of the protesters, Alaa Saleh, a Palestinian student from Wright College SDS, led the chant: “One, two, three, four! We don’t want your racist wars! Five, six, seven, eight! No to bigotry and hate!” Saleh stated, “It is important to stand up for what is right.”

“These attacks are aimed at the communities who are already victims of U.S. wars and the U.S.-backed occupation of Palestine,” explained Hatem Abudayyeh of the Arab American Action Network.

Abudayyeh continued, “The hate against Arabs and Muslims is not new, and it’s not just in Gainesville and it’s not only members of our community that are targeted. We’re here to take a stand against attacks on Arabs, Muslims and all immigrants.” Kait McIntyre said that it was very powerful for her to know that SDS chapters all across the country were holding protests today.

#UniversityOfIllinoisChicago #ChicagoIL #AntiwarMovement #AntiRacism #September11 #Koranburning

Minneapolis, MN – More than 200 people came together for a rally here, Sept. 11 to speak out against a wave of anti-Muslim bigotry that has spread across the U.S. This included the threatened Qur’an burning in Gainesville Florida. The event also called for an end to U.S. wars and occupations being carried out in the name of ‘fighting terrorism.’

Meredith Aby, a member of the Anti-War Committee said, “Today people of good conscience will gather in New York, Gainesville, Minneapolis and other cities to say no to anti-Muslim bigotry, racism and war. We are outraged at the racist attacks and threats against our Muslim brothers and sisters. The burning of the Qur’an and the furor over the building of mosques in New York, Kentucky and Tennessee are bigoted acts against Muslims. These are also conscious acts of racism against Arabs, South Asians and African-Americans.”

Aby also stated, “9/11 was used as an excuse to justify starting what has become a nine-year war on Afghanistan. It was used to create an elaborate web of lies justifying a preemptive attack on Iraq. The U.S. has lost over 5600 soldiers in these wars and over 1 million people have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. These wars are motivated by greed and racism. We demand an end to this senseless bloodshed.”

The rally in Minneapolis coincided with protests, speak-outs and other events in cities around the U.S. that called for an end to attacks on the Muslim community.

The Saturday event was initiated by the Anti-War Committee and endorsed by Al-Aqsa Institute, Coalition for Palestinian Rights, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAc), Iraq Peace Action Coalition, Iraq Veterans Against the War-MN, Military Families Speak Out-MN, Palestine-Israel Justice Project of the United Methodist Church, RNC 8 Defense Committee, SDS at the U of M, Twin Cities Peace Campaign, Veterans for Peace Chapter 27, the Welfare Rights Committee and Women Against Military Madness.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #AntiRacism #AntiWarCommittee #Koranburning

Terry Jones is a bigot, a racist and a pro-war supporter of imperialism. He preaches hatred for Muslims and love for the U.S. wars against Arabs and Afghans. Jones, like many Tea Party supporters, wants more war and killing by the U.S. in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Middle East. They want to see the U.S. and Israel attack Iran. Jones cheers for the genocide in Iraq and wants the U.S. occupation to continue forever. Jones praises Israel, as it oppresses and murders Palestinians. Jones wants to oppress and exploit the rest of the world for the benefit of the rich and powerful here. Jones stands for everything we oppose.

Burning of the Qur’an is certainly a bigoted act against Muslims, but in the U.S. it is also a conscious act of racism against Arabs, South Asians and African-Americans. This is a continuation of the racist attacks we have seen so much of recently. From the furor over the building of mosques in New York, Kentucky and Tennessee, to Arizona’s racist laws against Chicanos, Latinos and undocumented immigrants, to the nationwide police brutality epidemic – like the University of Florida police shooting the face of African graduate student Kofi Abu-Brempong. Revolutionaries must oppose white chauvinism and national oppression in all its forms, including anti-Muslim attacks.

It should be stressed that the problem with the Qur’an-burning is a lot deeper than a lone nut with a few followers in Florida. The U.S. ruling class and its representatives in government have consciously and consistently promoted anti-Muslim bigotry. Look at the way that important politicians have dealt with the issue of the plan to build a mosque amongst the strip clubs and bars near where the World Trade Center was, or how racism and Islamophobia is used to justify U.S. wars and support for the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

We call upon all revolutionaries and progressive people to actively oppose the Qur’an-burning. We support freedom of religion and respect that the Qur’an is sacred to many people. Please join comrades and friends across the country organizing protests in solidarity with the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Act now to stop Jones and his hateful followers. Join us in the fight to end racism and oppression.

#UnitedStates #StudentsForADemocraticSocietySDS #TerryJones #Koranburning #DoveChurch

Jared Hamil, of the Gainesville Area Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), stated, “Just because the Dove World Outreach Center decided not to burn Qu'rans doesn't mean that Islamophobia and racism have disappeared. There's still hate and bigotry in the world that we need to fight against and Gainesville Area SDS vows to be at the forefront of that fight.”

Fernando Figueroa of Gainesville Area SDS hailed the announced cancelation of the Qur’an-burning as a victory, stating, “This is a victory for the world's progressive people in general and the Gainesville community in particular. Gainesville Area SDS has shown that our communities have the power to win against the hatred, racism and bigotry of a handful of people. On Saturday we will fight onwards to the next victory.”

Figueroa also stated that the progressive movement needs to keep in mind that the pastor might go back on his word or that other anti-Muslim bigots might burn Korans on Sept. 11.

According to some press reports, a small reactionary church in Kansas has announced plans to burn Qur’ans.

#GainesvilleFlorida #GainesvilleFL #AntiwarMovement #AntiRacism #TerryJones #GainesvilleAreaStudentsForADemocraticSocietySDS #Koranburning