US lawmakers to hold prayer services at attacked Virginia mosque

Lawmakers urge fellows to help them show solidarity with the American Muslim community

Three House Democrats in the United States have urged fellow lawmakers to attend prayer services at a Virginia mosque that was attacked last month.

In a letter addressed to fellow lawmakers on Wednesday, Democratic representatives Don Beyer, Keith Ellison and Joseph Crowley invited them to prayer services this Friday at Dar Al-Hijrah mosque in the Northern Virginia suburb of Falls Church.



"We must show that we will not tolerate Islamophobia and that those who propagate it do not represent the melting-pot America that we celebrate," the letter read.

The lawmakers added, "Help us show solidarity with the American Muslim community by joining us on Friday.”

Further, they said, "If you cannot join us on Friday, we invite you to attend prayers at a mosque in your congressional district to show Muslims around the country that members of Congress stand with them in the face of intolerance."



Last month, a 27-year-old male was charged for using a fake explosive device at the mosque. Further, the mosque's outreach director informed the Falls Church News-Press that another man had entered the mosque days before the attack and yelled, "You people don't belong here."

Both incidents occurred after the November 13 terrorist attacks in Paris claimed by the Islamic State.

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Ellison, one of two Muslims serving in Congress, spoke against Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump of inciting anti-Muslim attitudes leading to violence. After the Paris attacks, Trump said he would create a database to keep track of Muslims in the US.

"Sadly, attacks on Muslim Americans have increased due to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump calling for the surveillance of mosques and registering Muslim Americans," Ellison said.

In the aftermath of the deadly attacks, incidents of Islamophobia have spiked in the US.

This article originally appeared on The Hill.