Houston, TX — On May 21, right-wing groups attempted to intimidate the Muslim community in Houston by holding an armed rally outside of the Islamic Daw'ah Center. The fifteen white supremacists displayed racist symbols, including the confederate flag, and chanted racist and anti-Muslim slurs. However, scores of people came out to fight back and confront the white supremacists’ message of hate and fear.

Over eighty people showed up to protest the white supremacists Islamophobic hate speech. Arab-Americans, Chicanos and progressive white activists joined together to defend Muslim Americans. The activists guarded the Islamic Daw'ah Center so that the Islamophobes could not get near the building. A huge line of cops stood between the white supremacists and the protesters. The chants of the Center’s defenders could be heard for blocks, “When Muslims are under attack. What do we do? Stand up fight back!” and “Islamophobes go home!”

Angelica Hernandez with the Freedom Road Socialist Organization said, “Wall Street, Trump, and his fascist supporters promote Islamophobia at home in order to wage their imperialist wars abroad. They create fear of the Muslim community in order to get the public to support their wars. These wars have one purpose, and one purpose alone: to expand US imperialist hegemony in the Middle East and gain access to new markets. To oppose Islamophobia is to oppose US imperialism and stand with oppressed peoples in their struggle for liberation”.

Ian Cox, with Students for a Democratic Society, said, “Islamophobia is designed to strengthen the State of Israel, which only exists so that the US can continue its wars and domination in the Middle East. These fascist crooks across the street are no different than the Zionists in Israel who create fear of the Palestinian people in order to legitimate their occupation.”

#HoustonTX #PeoplesStruggles #AntiRacism #Texas #Antifascism #Islamaphobia