The denial was based in zoning concerns; the mosque wanted to build in an industrial area which is not zoned for religious activities. That is for residential zoning, but the mosque wants a variance. The city council denied the request as per zoning laws, and now the Muslims and CAIR want the DOJ to investigate it as a hate crime. Lori Saroya, president of the Minnesota chapter of CAIR says, "This is the first one [in Minnesota] where we’re seeing so much anti-Muslim hate involved." Really? FBI stats show Jews are far more likely to suffer from anti-religious bias than Muslims, but dear Lori wants us to believe that we are all anti-Muslim and that is the reason for the denial. The same rhetoric, the same lies, the same obfuscation so we do nothing about creeping sharia and stealth jihad.
MINN. CITY REJECTS ISLAMIC CENTER — AND NOW CAIR WANTS THE DOJ TO INVESTIGATE
The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is calling on the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate a possible “anti-Muslim” hate crime after St. Anthony City Council almost unanimously rejected plans for a new Islamic center due to zoning concerns.
On Tuesday, St. Anthony City Council voted 4-1 against providing a conditional use permit for the “Abu-Huraira Islamic Center” after tabling the item for months, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. It is reportedly the first time in seven years that an Islamic place of worship has been blocked by local government in Minnesota.
“This is the first one [in Minnesota] where we’re seeing so much anti-Muslim hate involved,” said Lori Saroya, president of the Minnesota chapter of CAIR.
The imam of the Islamic center, Sheik Ahmed Burale, said his congregation, which consists of roughly 200 people, still wants the St. Anthony location and may take the council to court over its decision, according to the Star Tribune.
There were reportedly “several residents” who criticized Islam and at least one called the religion “evil” and one that condones violence.
On Wednesday, CAIR circulated this press release:
CAIR-MN is asking federal authorities to determine whether the denial of land usage for the Islamic center constitutes a violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).
RLUIPA protects religious institutions from unduly burdensome or discriminatory land use regulations. RLUIPA and the Minnesota Constitution ban zoning restrictions that impose a substantial burden on the religious exercise of a person or institution unless the government can show that it has a compelling interest for imposing zoning restrictions and that the restriction is the least restrictive way for the government to further that interest.“We ask the DOJ to use the full measure of its authority to launch a thorough investigation into the recent denial of the proposed Abu-Huraira Islamic Center,” wrote [Saroya].
Saroya said CAIR-MN is also asking DOJ officials to meet with St. Anthony Muslim leaders.
The Islamic center will also reportedly get some help from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in future court proceedings if there are any. The group regularly jumps at the chance to defend Islamic groups.
Judging from news reports, the majority of St. Anthony residents appeared to be against the Islamic center.
“You don’t live in the area, why are you looking in this area?” St. Anthony resident George Kaczor asked during the council meeting. “Why don’t you build in your own community?”
Another resident, Rob Lundeen, said there are “no pluses at all in letting this mosque in our city.”
“It’s a lose lose situation,” he continued. “If we get used by the ACLU, so be it. The ACLU doesn’t win them all. Let’s stand up for every little community and not be bullied.”
Not here, not now, not ever.
This is an update from a previous story.
From The Blaze June 14 by Jason Howerton
The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is calling on the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate a possible “anti-Muslim” hate crime after St. Anthony City Council almost unanimously rejected plans for a new Islamic center due to zoning concerns.
On Tuesday, St. Anthony City Council voted 4-1 against providing a conditional use permit for the “Abu-Huraira Islamic Center” after tabling the item for months, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. It is reportedly the first time in seven years that an Islamic place of worship has been blocked by local government in Minnesota.
“This is the first one [in Minnesota] where we’re seeing so much anti-Muslim hate involved,” said Lori Saroya, president of the Minnesota chapter of CAIR.
The imam of the Islamic center, Sheik Ahmed Burale, said his congregation, which consists of roughly 200 people, still wants the St. Anthony location and may take the council to court over its decision, according to the Star Tribune.
There were reportedly “several residents” who criticized Islam and at least one called the religion “evil” and one that condones violence.
On Wednesday, CAIR circulated this press release:
CAIR-MN is asking federal authorities to determine whether the denial of land usage for the Islamic center constitutes a violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).
RLUIPA protects religious institutions from unduly burdensome or discriminatory land use regulations. RLUIPA and the Minnesota Constitution ban zoning restrictions that impose a substantial burden on the religious exercise of a person or institution unless the government can show that it has a compelling interest for imposing zoning restrictions and that the restriction is the least restrictive way for the government to further that interest.“We ask the DOJ to use the full measure of its authority to launch a thorough investigation into the recent denial of the proposed Abu-Huraira Islamic Center,” wrote [Saroya].
Saroya said CAIR-MN is also asking DOJ officials to meet with St. Anthony Muslim leaders.
The Islamic center will also reportedly get some help from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in future court proceedings if there are any. The group regularly jumps at the chance to defend Islamic groups.
Judging from news reports, the majority of St. Anthony residents appeared to be against the Islamic center.
“You don’t live in the area, why are you looking in this area?” St. Anthony resident George Kaczor asked during the council meeting. “Why don’t you build in your own community?”
Another resident, Rob Lundeen, said there are “no pluses at all in letting this mosque in our city.”
“It’s a lose lose situation,” he continued. “If we get used by the ACLU, so be it. The ACLU doesn’t win them all. Let’s stand up for every little community and not be bullied.”
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