Gun-toting, far-right activist and avid Trump supporter, Jim Stachowiak, led an armed rally in Atlanta today to unite like-minded citizens “against Islam and Islamic immigration,” and to raise public awareness in what he perceives as a threat to “our nation from Islamic immigration and refugees.”
Stachowiak itinerary included shredding pictures of Hillary Clinton, President Barrack Obama, Attorney General Loretta Lynch, the Prophet Muhammad, and (of course) the Quran.
“I support Donald Trump because I like his agenda on dealing with the threats to this country — his ban on Islamic immigration,” Stachowiak said. He also singled out Muslim refugees and immigrants, calling them an “invading horde or army” threatening the United States.
The protest started the Statehouse and ended directly outside of the CNN headquarters, where Stachowiak estimated 200 people would show up to attend. but he would later revise his estimate to merely a “few” protesters.
Anti-Muslim protest setting up. pic.twitter.com/fpgbrBQWOt
— Aaron Gould Sheinin (@asheinin) April 18, 2016
Smart move, because according to Raw Story, no one showed up.
Capitol Police Director Lewis G. Young notified employees of the Georgia state capitol that the protest rally would be taking place and that organizers were encouraging rally participants to come armed.
“DPS is currently monitoring the threat risk and, together with GBA, is taking precautions to make Capitol Hill a safe environment,” the warning continued. But the group was all bark and no bite if photos tweeted from the event are any indication.
[…]
The men had expected 200 rally attendants. Less than a hand full of people attended, all of which seemed to be organizers for the rally. In fact, there appeared to be more media attention than attention from participants of the demonstration.
According to The Daily Beast, Stachowiak has been a right-wing agitator for years and refers to himself as a well-armed “crusader” and “infidel” against the forces of “Islam, and any other Satanic Death Cult that would destroy our Liberty.”
Muslim-American activists would much prefer to sit down and talk with Stachowiak and hopefully alleviate his fears.
“Hatred of Muslims and Islam stems from ignorance,” Edward Ahmed Mitchell, executive director of Georgia’s chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), said in a statement. “We encourage these protesters to put down their guns, cancel their unsanctioned rally, and meet with representatives of our state’s Muslim community for an open and frank discussion of their concerns. The Holy Quran instructs Muslims to respond to evil with something better, so that friendship can arise between us and those who hate us.”
From today’s rally: “We’re not Against Muslims” says the man who destroyed a Qur’an just minutes earlier. #gapol pic.twitter.com/01wiw6pRwy
— Robbie Medwed (@rjmedwed) April 18, 2016
[This article has been updated] Featured image: Aaron Gould Sheinin (Twitter)
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