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A group of bikers will hold a Muhammad cartoon-drawing contest outside a Phoenix-area mosque on Friday, and they’ve been told to come armed in case of a “much-anticipated attack.”
What could go wrong?
Jon Ritzheimer, a Marine turned anti-Islam activist, has invited thousands of bikers to join him outside the Islamic Community Center of Phoenix for a “peaceful protest” and Muhammad cartoon contest, timed to take place on the Muslim day of communal prayer.
So far, less than 200 people have RSVP’d, but locals and Muslim civil liberties groups are concerned there could be violence.
Labeling the rally “round 2″ on the Facebook event page, Jon Ritzheimer claims the contest “is in response to the recent attack in Texas where 2 armed terrorist, with ties to ISIS, attempted Jihad.”
Ritzheimer, a Marine converted to anti-Islam activist, has asked thousands of bikers to join him outside the Islamic Community Center of Phoenix for a “peaceful protest” and Muhammad cartoon contest, timed to occur on the Muslim day of communal prayer.
He urged participants to bring in American flags and to “utilize there [sic] second amendment right at this function just in case our first amendment comes under the much anticipated attack.” The function is obviously timed to the point at which the mosque “normally host(s) a large prayer.”
“Round 2″ is a benchmark to the foiled May 3 assault on political activist Pamela Geller’s “Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest” in Garland, Texas, where a police officer was shot and two armed assailants killed. ISIS later maintained credit for the assault, though little proof has appeared that shows the militant group in Syria and Iraq had any part in directing it.
The men associated with the assault were from the Phoenix area. One of the men studied at the Islamic Center for years.
In October, the mosque released a statement that stated it “joined global, national and local Muslim scholars and leaders in refuting the ideology of the terrorist group ISIS, we are urging ISIS supporters to repent and return to the religion of mercy.” Its imam has also denounced ISIS’s “misguided philosophy.”
The Arizona chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations states it has connected with with federal and local law enforcement authorities to talk about protecting worshipers at the mosque from members of the armed biker gang.
“We thank law enforcement authorities for their proactive effort to ensure the safety of the mosque’s congregation from hate-filled and armed protesters,” stated CAIR-AZ Chairman Imraan Siddiqi in a report.
“The promise of a heavy police presence at the rally of armed biker gang members will help calm fears of harassment and even attacks on worshipers.”
Some others have took offense to the rally.
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