Yesterday, I went to photograph the “Ground Zero Mosque” protest as well as the counter-protest. If you haven’t heard, there are plans for an Islamic community center, Park51, to be built in lower Manhattan, 2 blocks from the former WTC site. The facility will be open to all New Yorkers and will contain a 9/11 memorial and a room dedicated to Islamic prayer. Opponents of the community center believe the area around the former WTC site is “hallowed ground” and Park51’s location is insensitive.
The protest devolved into a rally against Islam, with right wingers from as far South Carolina, donning confederate flags. At one point, a black man wearing a skullcap walked through the audience and mistaken for a Muslim, was berated with people calling him a coward and yelling “Mohammed is a pig.” He happens to be a carpenter at Ground Zero. With such a message of hatred, it was hard to stick around.
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