Brooklyn Mosque Rally Turns Ugly
Fri, Oct 1, 2010
Protesters show their concerns on Voorhies Avenue. Photo: Vegas Tenold
by Vegas Tenold
It was supposed to be a rally about parking. Somehow it turned into praise for Qu’ran burning, declarations of war and enough vitriol to warrant almost 20 police officers.
Almost before it began, it became clear that the crowds lining Voorhies Avenue for last Sunday’s rally against a proposed mosque had different concerns than the local residents.
Earlier this year, the Muslim American Society bought a lot on a residential part of Voorhies Avenue announcing that they wanted to build a community center with an after-school program and prayer rooms.
Neighbors oppose the plan, saying that the area is residential and that the street can’t handle the additional cars that the community center will bring. They also fear that the mosque will bring down the value of their homes.
On Sunday, houses on Voorhies Avenue were plastered with signs reading “Religion is not an excuse for zoning violation” and “If it doesn’t fit then don’t build”. Bay People, a group of residents, had arranged the rally. Their arguments, however, quickly drowned out.
At noon, at least 100 people crowded the sidewalk, with more people arriving. Many were holding American flags. Others had draped themselves with them. Signs reading “NO M.A.S.” referring to the Muslim American Society, were ubiquitous. Several signs linked the M.A.S. to Hezbollah and Hamas, and a large banner announced the presence of the Brooklyn Tea Party. Across the street were the supporters of the community center, holding signs that said “We Say No To Racist Fear” and “Muslims Are Welcome Here”.
Few of Sunday’s speeches mentioned the concerns heard earlier about parking and home values. John Kenneth Press of the Brooklyn Tea Party said in his speech that “Islam has been fighting the West for 1400 years. Do they believe in freedom in the Middle East?”
People shouted “Hell No!”
“Do we believe in it here?” asked Press
“Yes!” screamed his supporters.
After Press had left the podium a woman who identified herself as a realtor, claimed to oppose the mosque because the M.A.S. had overpaid for the site. “Let me get you a better deal!” she pleaded with the demonstrators across the street.
A young man pointed at the mosque supporters across the street. “Unlike these terrorists, I stand in front of you unmasked! This is a war! And we’re all soldiers!” He then praised the burning of the Qu’ran calling it a miracle of free speech and asked the crowd if “we need to see Brooklyn and America raped by people who aren’t from this country?”
The next speaker gave his speech in Russian.
The mood became increasingly vitriolic. A woman with a sign saying “NO MOSQUE 1 GOD” screamed at two Muslim girls with American flags. “Let go of the flag and get back to your own country!” Shouts of “Racist!” from the other side became louder. More police arrived.
Steven Peskin, who lives nearby, stood with the people supporting the mosque. “I don’t think the mosque should be built.” he said. “This is a residential area, and I think it will be too crowded. But I don’t agree with those people. It’s not about Islam and the West. It’s about parking. Why are these people here?”
The rally ended with the loud speakers repeatedly playing an audio clip from 2000, where Muslim American Society’s Mahdi Bray appears to be supporting Hamas and Hezbollah.
Ibrahim Anse, the community center’s project manager, was not surprised by what happened on Sunday. “It’s all politics, and they’re using these people for a public show.” He said that many of the protesters are outsiders brought in by the Brooklyn Tea Party. “The Tea Party are using the people on Voorhies Avenue.”
John Press said that the concerns of the Brooklyn Tea Party are the same as those of the residents on Voorhies Avenue. “We are all worried about people teaching hatred in our communities.”
Press says that the Muslim American Society are affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, an Egyptian organization that supports Hamas and Hezbollah. The FBI have found no such links, but Press says that he has his own evidence.
“It does not make us safer to have the vanguard of Muslim conquest in our communities,” he said. “There is a clear and concerted effort to increase the Muslim population in America. These people don’t like us.” He does acknowledge that it is unlikely that the people who demonstrated against him on Sunday, most of whom were women and children, are actual terrorists. “Most Muslims are law abiding citizens. They don’t have the energy to do violent jihad, just like most Christians don’t have the energy to live like Jesus.”
Tags: Brooklyn, mosque, Sheepshead Bay, Tea Party, vegas tenold
john press and the brooklyn tea party depress me.
“these people don’t like us.”-john press
this person doesn’t like you either, brooklyn tea party!
“we are all worried about people teaching hatred in our communities.”-john press
do you realize how absurd this is john press? what exactly do you think you’re doing? teaching hatred in our communities. such a blatant display of ignorance and bigotry! such hypocrisy!
Are we going back in time? Didn’t African Americans and Jews go through same unfair treatment? Hating African Americans and Jews for what they were was wrong then and it’s wrong now. We (peple of USA) should be role model for the world and show that we can all live in peace regardkess of our color and religion.
Bkln Tea Party says: “We are all worried about people teaching hatred in our communities.” Hehe, the tea party already has a monopoly on that.
“we need to see Brooklyn and America raped by people who aren’t from this country?”
Public Education strikes again lol read a history book moron….
“get back to your own country” Ok the million 2nd gen that are born here we can send them back to there own country
Should show this everyone of 10,000 muslim currently in the military and any muslims wanting to join These are the people your takeing bullets for ,,,,,
I wish the White Power Teabaggers stop using these poor homeless and retired people to cause trouble to benefit themselves.
and kudos to steven peskin!
It is all about hate and tea party is spreading fear among americans …. go away
tea
I feel that this anti-Muslim Xenophobia is just plain wrong and un-American.
I agree that Muslims by far and away suck big time but, we are Americans and live by the law of the land which provides freedom of religion.
Such violent protests that disturb the peace should be curtailed. And these bigots should just go away. The time of Archie Bunker is long gone. It is time for people to wake up and rid America of these bigots.
The Muslim American Society is a wonderful group of caring people, who deeply believe in the American dream and want to make the world a better place.
this is kinda funny. americans crack me up sometimes. who knew hypocrisy cud be so funny lmao
The mosque is just too close to ground zero… oh wait a minute this mosques is miles away from ground zero, i guess it makes no difference does it, John Press can take his feelings and shove it
Excuse me, its a cultural center, NOT A MOSQUE. A Mosque is holy place of Muslims where they worship and only where Muslims may enter. This is a cultural center that is being built 2 blocks away from ground zero. And second, you people have clubs and bars all around and you think that the destruction of modesty is better than a cultural center?
That’s disgusting. I agree with Katy. She is 100% right. Stop being racist. Where is freedom of religion? Let them practice there religion.
“The FBI have found no such links, but Press says that he has his own evidence.” — Oh really? The FBI didn’t find these supposed “links” but John Press did?
Who are all these so called “public speakers/experts” that have risen since 9/11 ?
It scares me that there are people like this in Brooklyn.
You guys are the bigots all leaning to the left!! most of what you say is not true!! There were no plants here everyone lives in the Bay..You guys should have half the brains that John has..And there was only about 7 cops who were there for the traffic, since the street wasn’t closed~ nothing more..You also forgot to mention the disrespect showed by the Muslims chanting while we spoke and while we sang God Bless America..Put down the flag? you idiot YES he was waving the Islam flag-I have the photo..The only thing ugly was caused by the chanting of the muslims, and our local ch 12 covering them but not the law abiding AMERICANS.
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