Youth in Gainesville, Fla., reject Muslim-bashing

Several hundred people rallied and marched against anti-Islamic bigotry here on Sept. 11 despite the presence of scores of police, who barricaded the street. Most were youth and students, many from the University of Florida at Gainesville. They chanted, “When the Muslim people are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!”

Photos: Fight Back! News

After the right-wing leader of a small, fundamentalist church, the Dove World Outreach Center, announced that its members would burn copies of the Qur’an on Sept. 11, the local Students for a Democratic Society called for the demonstration.

For weeks the media paid enormous attention to the head of the church, Terry Jones, and to opponents of a proposed Islamic community center in New York City. The airwaves and printed pages across the U.S. have been filled with the most vitriolic, racist and inflammatory rhetoric scapegoating Muslims.

Although Jones finally called off his premeditated hate crime, the student activists held firm to their goal of organizing a mass rejection of bigotry and intolerance in their community.

Dozens of media outlets from around Florida and the world were present at the demonstration, showing how important it was to have a strong show of unity and solidarity with Muslims and others under attack in this time of economic crisis.