Anti-Muslim protester in US won over by hugs
The woman accepted the invitation to step inside the mosque and was greeted with loud applause
The woman was met with hugs outside the mosque. Facebook/Independent
A woman's plans to protest about the ‘dangers’ of Islam outside an Ohio Islamic centre did not go according to plan when she was won over by hugs from Muslims.
The anti-Muslim protester was demonstrating outside the Noor Islamic Centre when she was approached by counter-protesters who tried, peacefully, to clear her misconceptions about Islam.
She was then given a hug by one of the members of the mosque and invited inside. Upon accepting the invitation, she was met with loud applause.
Read: America’s ‘Moslem’ problem
The woman had been displaying placards saying ‘No Shariah Law’ on the day of anti-Muslim protests that had been organised across the US and named the Global Rally for Humanity.
The centre’s members spoke to the woman, identified on social media simply as Annie, about Quran, the situation in the Middle East and Barack Obama.
"That is how we work. A lot of people with these ideas have not actually met a Muslim. We focus on the similarities rather than on things that divide," the mosque's spokesperson, Adnan Mirza, told The Independent.
Read: Anti-Islam protester has change of heart after observing prayer service at Arizona mosque
Annie also consented to pose for a photo with a woman wearing hijab after she said, “I’m an American too.” Annie told the mosque’s members that her husband and her pastor did not want her to come to protest. Either way, she then said things had not turned out as she had anticipated.
Many took to Twitter following the incident to share their views:
This article originally appeared on The Independent
The anti-Muslim protester was demonstrating outside the Noor Islamic Centre when she was approached by counter-protesters who tried, peacefully, to clear her misconceptions about Islam.
She was then given a hug by one of the members of the mosque and invited inside. Upon accepting the invitation, she was met with loud applause.
Read: America’s ‘Moslem’ problem
The woman had been displaying placards saying ‘No Shariah Law’ on the day of anti-Muslim protests that had been organised across the US and named the Global Rally for Humanity.
The centre’s members spoke to the woman, identified on social media simply as Annie, about Quran, the situation in the Middle East and Barack Obama.
"That is how we work. A lot of people with these ideas have not actually met a Muslim. We focus on the similarities rather than on things that divide," the mosque's spokesperson, Adnan Mirza, told The Independent.
Read: Anti-Islam protester has change of heart after observing prayer service at Arizona mosque
Annie also consented to pose for a photo with a woman wearing hijab after she said, “I’m an American too.” Annie told the mosque’s members that her husband and her pastor did not want her to come to protest. Either way, she then said things had not turned out as she had anticipated.
Many took to Twitter following the incident to share their views:
This article originally appeared on The Independent