The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has planned a Ramadan protest against President Donald Trump outside the White House on Wednesday evening.
Muslims associated with CAIR and other protests will gather in Lafayette Square outside the White House to eat the iftar, which is the traditional fast-breaking meal held each sunset during Ramadan, as a counter to the iftar meal held inside the White House at the same time, according to CAIR’s press release. CAIR, which the FBI labeled “an unindicted co-conspirator” with Hamas, labeled the intended protest “NOT Trump’s Iftar.” The organization has accused Trump of Islamophobia in light of his travel bans and the fact that he did not host an iftar dinner at the White House in 2017, breaking with the tradition of the previous three administrations. (RELATED: US Islamic Group With Ties To Hamas Rejoices Over Court Challenge To Travel Ban)
“President Trump has attacked Muslims since the beginning of his campaign and codified his Islamophobia with the Muslim Bans,” CAIR’s Facebook post reads. “Now he wants to make nice and host an iftar dinner after skipping the tradition last year. Join us this for a counter iftar held simultaneously outside the White House to say not in our name.”
Trump issued a statement in May sending “greetings and best wishes to all Muslims observing Ramadan” and wishing them “a blessed month.”
“Ramadan reminds us of the richness Muslims add to the religious tapestry of American life. In the United States, we are all blessed to live under a Constitution that fosters religious liberty and respects religious practice,” his statement added. “Our Constitution ensures Muslims can observe Ramadan in accordance with the dictates of conscience and unimpeded by government. By doing so, the Constitution also furnishes varied opportunities for all Americans to deepen their understanding of the human soul.”
CAIR also intends to hold the demonstration as a protest against Trump’s travel bans, which they claimed are actually “Muslim Bans.” The majority of the world’s Muslims are not affected by the travel bans, however, given that even though the countries affected are predominantly Muslim, the list of countries affected does not include countries whose populations account for a third of the world’s Muslims, among other Muslim majority countries.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
