A rally was held at New England’s largest mosque this weekend, organized by the Smedley D. Butler Brigade of Veterans for Peace. Around 200 people turned up to show support for the US Muslim communities in the face of Donald Trump’s anti-Muslim statements.
Members of the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center in Roxbury, Boston, said that they were touched by the support.
“When you listen to what’s going on in presidential politics there is a lot of misinformation and some people are really misrepresenting what this religion is,” Bob Funke, a US Army veteran, said.
Local reports said that the anti-War veterans group carried signs saying “Muslims are not our enemy,” alongside flags featuring the their logo, a white dove and a black combat helmet.
Rally against Islamophobia @isbcc featuring Veterans for Peace, @bostonpolice Commissioner Bill Evans, others pic.twitter.com/LlDyOVhzyL
— Laura Crimaldi (@lauracrimaldi) February 27, 2016
The group says that it does not take a side in politics.
Barry Ladendorf, the group’s president, said that, “We’re not against Trump. We’re against the speech.”
The attendees of the rally were given lunch inside the Islamic center afterwards, with a mosque representative answering their questions about Islam and the building itself.
