Million Muslim March

Logo of the event, under its original name

The Million Muslim March was a protest march in Washington, D.C., on September 11, 2013. It was organized by the American Muslim Political Action Committee (AMPAC) from Kansas City, Missouri.

Lead-up

On July 16, 2013, U.S. News reported that the Million Muslim March had been scheduled for September 11 by 9/11 conspiracy theorists.[1] On August 15, 2013 MD Rabbi Alam appeared on the Fox National News with Sean Hannity, to defend the Million Muslim March against the host. The following day, U.S. News reported that it had been renamed as the Million American March Against Fear (MAMAF).[2] On August 17, Fox News reported that AMPAC had faced a backlash for planning the march.[3]

Opposition

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim civil rights group in the United States, condemned the march. Zuhdi Jasser of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD) called the plan provocative, and criticized the group's Truther ideology. Sheila Musaji of The American Muslim magazine calls AMPAC all hype and no substance.[4] Less than a month before the march, the event's Facebook page had 57 members.[5]

A group called '2 Million Bikers to DC' counterprotested the march, and raised money for the families of 9/11 victims. Their Facebook page passed 40,000 members prior to their protest.[6] By 11 pm EST on the day of the demonstrations, the Facebook "likes" had grown to 254,000. The group attempted, unsuccessfully, to secure a "no-stop permit" for the ride.[6]

Day of march

A Washington D.C. memo on September 10 said to expect hundreds at the Million Muslim March and 3,000 for the 2 Million Bikers to D.C.[7] At noon on September 11, 25 people gathered for the Million Muslim March, including speaker Cornel West.[8] In total a few dozen attended the March, whose speakers were mostly non-Muslim 9/11 conspiracy theorists, including Art Olivier and Merlin Miller.[9] They were met by 20 Christian counter-protesters.[8] The biker event was estimated to be 75,000 by UPI but some spectators gave greater estimates into the hundreds of thousands.[10][11]

The Daily Mail reported that the Million Muslim March's website and phoneline were inaccessible after the march, while the bikers' Facebook page planned to repeat their protest on the following September 11.[12]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2013/07/16/million-muslim-march-scheduled-for-sept-11-reorients-to-seek-911-truth 'Million Muslim March' Scheduled for Sept. 11 Reorients to Seek 9/11 'Truth'
  2. ↑ http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2013/08/16/there-is-no-more-million-muslim-march-on-911 Million Muslim March renamed to Million American March Against Fear
  3. ↑ http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/08/17/muslim-group-criticized-for-planning-mass-demonstration-on-12th-anniversary-11/ Muslim group blasted for planning mass demonstration on September 11
  4. ↑ Musaji, Sheila. "AMPAC “Million Muslim March” all hype and no substance". The American Muslim. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  5. ↑ "Fury over 'Million Muslim March' scheduled for 9/11 - even thought the Islamic group planning it has only 57 supporters".
  6. 1 2 Bikers roll out for DC 9/11 counter protest with a solid plan - BizPac Review, 3 September 2013, updated 8 September 2013.
  7. ↑ "The Weekly Standard - A Weekly Conservative Magazine and Blog of News and Opinion.".
  8. 1 2 ""Million Muslim March" Attendees Confronted by Christian Protesters on National Mall". NBC Washington. Sep 12, 2013.
  9. ↑ "'2 Million Bikers,' Christian Activists Confront 9/11 Gathering Formerly Called the 'Million Muslim March'". U.S.News. Sep 11, 2013.
  10. ↑ "'Million Muslim March' 2013 has low turnout, lost in sea of motorcyclists". UPI. Sep 11, 2013.
  11. ↑ "March Planned for Sept. 11 Stirs Emotions, Prompts Changes". Roll Call. 10 September 2013.
  12. ↑ "Millions of bikers descend on DC to protest Muslim 9/11 rally".
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