Photo from Kol Tzedek Facebook page.

Community members have a chance this Friday to show their support for our Muslim neighbors outside of a local mosque, the site of last week’s anti-Muslim protest. The event, titled “Stand with Muslims”, is organized by Kol Tzedek synagogue and the West Philly Coalition Against Islamophobia. It will take place from noon to 1 p.m. at 43rd and Walnut where Masjid al-Jamia mosque is located.

“Last week there was a small but very disturbing Islamophobic protest outside Masjid Al-Jamia, the mosque at 43rd and Walnut, during Friday prayers,” reads a Facebook post by Kol Tzedek dedicated to the event. “Please join Kol Tzedek and the West Philly Coalition Against Islamophobia to show our support for our Muslim neighbors and stand in solidarity with them.”  Continue Reading

Photo by Yoni Kroll.

UPDATE (7/19/2017): According to additional witness reports, the religious group that showed up in Clark Park on Saturday is called Christian Interviews. The group is based in Philadelphia and is led by “Pastor Aden”. Read this article about how the same group disrupted “I Heart UD Day” at the University of Delaware.

An unidentified religious group disrupted the biannual Clark Park Music & Arts Festival on Saturday, holding signs and shouting anti-gay, anti-Muslim and other slurs, according to witnesses. In an approach reminiscent of Westboro Baptist Church, even children held signs.

“[The group] had some Westboro-style signs that listed many different things that would send just about any person to hell,” said West Philadelphia resident Suzy Subways. “One man [in his] 30s was the most aggressive, and he was wearing a shirt that said, in huge letters, ‘YOU WHORE’ with a giant pointing finger, and a hat that said ‘Repent, you HO!’ A small child was sobbing in their midst and none of them comforted him.”  Continue Reading