Hawzah News Agency-About 300 students and faculty gathered Monday night in the Diag for a group Isha prayers, or the fifth and final daily Islamic prayer, held by the University of Michigan Muslim Students’ Association following threats against Muslim women on campus this week.
On Friday night, a female student wearing a hijab was approached by a man who threatened to light her on fire if she did not remove her head covering. Another female student was approached by two men who referenced her religion, yelled at her for being in the United States and pushed her down a hill on Saturday night. Both crimes have been classified as intimidation crimes, with the latter classified as ethnic intimidation.
Also on Friday, a student found a swastika and hateful message written on the door of his apartment.
MSA President Farhan Ali, an LSA junior, said he was surprised by the large number of people who attended. He noted that to show solidarity with the female Muslim students on campus, male Muslims have been wearing the kufi, a traditional hat for Muslim men.
“People have these myths about Islam, and that’s how Islamophobia occurs,” Ali said. “We’re trying to figure out ways we can see to make this campus safer and we’re trying to talk to DPSS.”
Organizers said Monday night’s gathering — which was open to Muslims and non-Muslim allies of the organization — aimed to give voice to those in fear following the election, as well as to initiate unity among all students on campus.
Public Policy junior Stephen Wallace said he attended the event with other Black students to show solidarity with Muslims. Wallace said he would like to see further action from the University administration on alt-right posters which have been posted around campus intermittently since earlier this fall, targeting Muslim, Black and female students. Posters promoting white supremacy and calling for students to report undocumented immigrants were found on campus early Monday morning, alongside phrases such as “Make America Great Again.”
“We’re here for (Muslims) as a fellow minority, another marginalized group of people,” Wallace said.