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Police prepared to keep peace in dueling anti-Sharia, pro-Muslim marches in Seattle

Seattle police are prepared to keep the peace if any aggression arises between an anti-Sharia demonstration and pro-Muslim counter protest Saturday.

KIRO 7 News will be covering both events: The “Seattle March Against Sharia” plans to hold an event at 10 a.m. at City Hall Plaza, and the “Seattle Stands With Our Muslim Neighbors” plans to hold a counter-event around 9 a.m. at Occidental Park.

Summary: 

  • A group called ACT for America is planning the rally called "Seattle March Against Sharia." It's schedule for 10 a.m. at City Hall Plaza.
  • Sharia law is a strict Islamic law.
  • ACT for America moved the rally from Portland to Seattle after two men were murdered on a Portland light rail on May 26. The two tried to intervene when Jeremy Christian was harassing two women, one of whom was wearing a hajib.
  • Muslim leaders and others are concerned about anti-Sharia, saying the marches are really anti-Muslim.
  • People plan to meet for a rally called "Seattle Stands With Our Muslim Neighbors" around 9 a.m. at Occidental Park.
  • Seattle police said it is staffed to maintain peace between the dueling demonstrations.
  • Download the KIRO 7 News app for alerts on traffic and major developments during the events.

About 'Seattle March Against Sharia' Event

A group called ACT for America is planning the rally called “Seattle March Against Sharia.”

ACT for America, has chapters around the country and said it is focused on fighting terrorism and promoting national security.

The planned event in Seattle is one of 28 anti-Sharia demonstrations in the United States. People in Seattle first planned to meet at Westlake Park, but it's since changed to proceed at City Hall, according to the Facebook event page.

Anthony Parish, who is organizing the group's "Anti-Sharia March for Human Rights," told KIRO 7 News the rally is not anti-Muslim, but rather against parts of Islam's teachings. He describes ACT for America as a group fighting against terrorism. See his interview below, scroll down to continue reading.

ACT for America moved the rally from Portland to Seattle when Portland’s mayor urged them and officials to cancel it after two men were murdered on a Portland light rail train on May 26.

Police said Jeremy Christian attacked three men and killed two of them when they tried to stop Christian’s anti-Muslim tirade against two women. One of the women was wearing a hijab.

“I’m going to be telling people we don’t tolerate violence,” Parish said and added the Portland killings had nothing to do with the group. “We’re not against Muslims … We’re against this barbaric ideology called Sharia.”

He believes parts of Sharia pertain to punishments and how women are treated. Some ACT for America activists portray Sharia as largely incompatible with American democracy and often warn of a stealth effort to replace U.S. law with Islamic law.

About Sharia Law

Sharia law is a strict Islamic law. It is designed to guide devout Muslims in their personal and professional dealings.

At a local interfaith dinner, religious leaders of all faiths defended and defined Sharia as the basic religious doctrine all Muslims follow in spirit to be better humans -- much like the way the Bible is interpreted.

KIRO 7 News talked to Arsalan Bukhari, executive director for the Council on American Islamic Relations in Washington state.

“Sharia is a word for Islamic teachings -- people pray at home, they love their parents, take care of their parents because of Islamic teachings … it’s the reason many Muslim women wear head scarves,” he said.

Sharia law has been used by the Taliban and others to justify limits on women's rights and harsh punishments.

"There is no place for violence against women in society. When people see that, they should correct the issue versus blaming a whole group of people for it," Bukhari said.

As for Parish’s assertion that Sharia can be separated from Muslim people, Bukhari responded, "We see bias in that. In the same way as someone would have said -- we’re against African-American culture, but we love African-American people … the average person would see right through it.”

He says the rally is promoting hate speech, which incites violence.

About 'Seattle Stands With Our Muslim Neighbors' Event

People plan to meet for a rally called “Seattle Stands With Our Muslim Neighbors” at the same time and place as the “Seattle March Against Sharia” event.

The counter-event sides with the Southern Poverty Law Center that calls ACT for America the largest grassroots anti-Muslim group in the country.

"On Saturday, June 10, a recognized Islamophobic hate group is coming to Seattle to spread fear and divide our community. We are coming together in solidarity with our Muslim neighbors. We will say loud and clear that hate and Islamophobia are not welcome here. We will be peaceful and we will be resolute. We ask you to join us," the Facebook event page states.

The marches come amid a rise in reports of anti-Muslim incidents in the U.S., including arson attacks and vandalism at mosques, harassment of women wearing Muslim head coverings and bullying of Muslim school children.

Aneelah Afzali, who heads a Seattle-area group that works against discrimination and hate crimes, said she will be putting up an "ask a Muslim" booth near Seattle's anti-Shariah rally "so people can ask questions directly about Islam, and we can counter conspiracy theories, accusations and lies that come from that hate rally."

She said she has noticed increased hostility toward Muslims, evidenced by the destruction of a granite sign in front of the mosque she attends in Redmond, by someone apparently wielding a sledgehammer. A temporary sign was destroyed a few weeks later.

How Police Are Preparing

Both groups told KIRO 7 News they plan to be peaceful, but Seattle police are gearing up for Saturday.

An SPD spokesman said that the department is prepared for the events with staffing to keep everyone safe at both demonstrations. Police would not release a specific number of officers working to keep the protests peaceful.

“Protests aren’t anything new for us. It’s something we’re accustomed to. It’s built into procedures and our training,” SPD spokesman Sean Whitcomb said. “And so understanding that most demonstrations are single voice, and sometimes require movements, that’s kind of like the ordinary demonstration. This one we expect tomorrow is a demonstration that will have its own counter demonstration. So it’s just another moving part for us -- it’s no different than having two separate demonstrations.”

When asked about unpermitted protesters attending, Whitcomb said the department is prepared for anything. In some previous protests in Seattle, events have turned violent when so-called anarchists attended.

“Nothing is going to surprise us,” Whitcomb said. “We kind of know what we need to do to ensure everyone has their constitutional rights upheld.”

Mayor Condemns 'March Against Sharia' Rally; Recognizes First Amendment Rights

Mayor Ed Murray condemned the “Seattle March Against Sharia” rally, but illustrated the fine line the city must walk under the Constitution.

“To think that people would come to Seattle and have a hate march against Muslims is reprehensible, but under the First Amendment we're going to respect their right to free speech," he said.

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