Islamic Mosques Bump Up Security After Trump Won Election

Rasa - The head of an Islamic civil rights group in Chicago said he believes that despite the election results, the majority of America rejects bigotry and hate. But for now, he has advised mosques to beef up security. WBBM’s Steve Miller reports.

News ID: 424942

Date: 10 November 2016 - 23:44

RNA - The head of an Islamic civil rights group in Chicago said he believes that despite the election results, the majority of America rejects bigotry and hate.

But for now, he has advised mosques to beef up security. WBBM’s Steve Miller reports.

Donald Trump and the next four years were on the mind of Ahmed Rehab, executive director of the Council on American Islamic Relations in Chicago.

“When he says Make America Great Again, the ‘great’ refers to unwinding the progress which has occurred in which racial minorities have equal access,” Rehab said.

Rehab wonders about Trump’s victory speech early Wednesday morning when Trump said, “I will be president for all Americans.”

Rehab said it does not fit with statements Trump has been making for the past year.

“I would not for a second reject that change,” Rehab said. “But I would not bet on it. I did not buy it when he said it.”

Chicago’s Council on American Islamic Relations are concerned about statements that President-Elect Trump has made, which have led to violence and hate crimes, Rehab said.

“When he is in power and if he chooses to continue with this rhetoric, I will brace myself for more upticks,” Rehab said. “We have already instructed our mosques to beef up security. To make sure that their cameras are working and have volunteers who can look around and monitor for suspicious behavior.”

Rehab said there are about 400,000 Muslims in the Chicago area and more than 100 mosques.

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