Rep. Keith Ellison, Rep. Andre Carson and 36 House Democrats Send Letter to Attorney General Lynch Asking For Investigation Into Armed Hate Group Rallies

WASHINGTON – Earlier today, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), Rep. Andre Carson (D-IN), and 36 additional House Democrats sent a letter to United States Attorney General Loretta Lynch asking the Department of Justice to investigate whether armed protesters rallying outside of mosques across the country this weekend violate federal laws that protect worshipers. 

 

The letter details the impact of previous protests saying, “In May, nearly 250 anti-Muslim protestors, many armed with assault rifles, surrounded a mosque in Phoenix. This was the second armed demonstration at the mosque. The first instilled so much fear and intimidation that the mosque was forced to cancel religious services.”  

 

The letter later states, “The group responsible for these hate-filled demonstrations has kept its pledge to expand demonstrations to other parts of the country. Scheduled for October 10th, current and former members from a hate group called the Oath Keepers have scheduled a “Global Rally for Humanity” in 20 cities where thousands are predicted to gather to stoke public prejudice and intimidate Muslim worshipers. Organizers have called on protesters to be armed. These same Oath Keepers recently went to Ferguson, Missouri to protest a vigil for the one-year anniversary of the shooting of Michael Brown.”

 

Additional signers include: G. K Butterfield, Judy Chu, David N. Cicilline, Katherine M. Clark, Yvette D. Clarke, James E. Clyburn, John Conyers Jr., Elijah E. Cummings, Debbie Dingell, Sam Farr, Bill Foster, Raúl M. Grijalva, Luis V. Gutiérrez, Janice Hahn, Alcee L. Hastings, Michael M. Honda, Sheila Jackson Lee, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" Johnson Jr., Marcy Kaptur, Barbara Lee, John Lewis, Ted Lieu, Betty McCollum, Grace Meng, Jerrold Nadler, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Ed Perlmutter, Charles B. Rangel, Loretta Sanchez, Janice D. Schakowsky, Juan Vargas, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Maxine Waters, Corrine Brown, Donald S. Beyer Jr.

 

 

 

October 8th, 2015

 

The Honorable Loretta Lynch 

Attorney General of the United States

U.S. Department of Justice

950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20530

 

The Honorable Vanita Gupta

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Civil Rights Division 

U.S. Department of Justice 

950 Pennsylvania Avenue,

NW Washington, DC 20530

 

Dear Attorney General Lynch and Deputy Assistant Gupta:

 

We write to follow up on a June 4th letter requesting a Department of Justice investigation into whether armed demonstrators outside of mosques violates the First Amendment rights of worshipers and 18 U.S. Code § 248, the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. 

 

In May, nearly 250 anti-Muslim protestors, many armed with assault rifles, surrounded a mosque in Phoenix. This was the second armed demonstration at the mosque. The first instilled so much fear and intimidation that the mosque was forced to cancel religious services.  

 

The group responsible for these hate-filled demonstrations has kept its pledge to expand demonstrations to other parts of the country. Scheduled for October 10th, current and former members from a hate group called the Oath Keepers have scheduled a “Global Rally for Humanity” in 20 cities where thousands are predicted to gather to stoke public prejudice and intimidate Muslim worshipers. Organizers have called on protestors to be armed. Members from Oath Keepers recently went to Ferguson, Missouri to protest a vigil for the one-year anniversary of the shooting of Michael Brown. 

 

The presence of assault weapons coupled with deep seeded bigotry and hate speech creates a clear and present danger to worshipers and threatens lawless action. Beyond the safety concerns the conduct of these demonstrators impedes the First Amendment rights of worshipers. 

 

These demonstrators argue that they are exercising their First Amendment rights. Freedom of Speech and the Freedom to Assemble are bedrock principles that distinguish free societies from tyrannical regimes. These freedoms, however, are not absolute. The constitution does not protect behavior that prevents the free exercise of religion or causes the incitement of violence or prejudice against protected groups. 

 

Armed protestors intimidating worshipers at churches, synagogues, mosques, or any religious place of worship seems to be exactly the behavior that Congress sought to outlaw when it passed the FACE Act, which prohibits the use of “force or threat of force or by physical obstruction, intentionally injures, intimidates or interferes with or attempts to injure, intimidate or interfere with any person lawfully exercising or seeking to exercise the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship.”[1] 

 

Enforcement of the law should not vary based on the religious affiliation of those being intimidated.  

 

The activity of these armed anti-Muslim demonstrators comes at a time when anti-Muslim hate crimes are on the rise and people are seeking to capitalize anti-Muslim fearmongering.

 

As gun violence and bigotry sweep across the country, we must do everything we can to prevent further tragedy and discrimination. 

 

Sincerely,