About 125 people gathered outside the federal courthouse in Akron on Monday for a lunch-hour protest opposing President Donald Trump’s executive order on Friday that blocked entrance to the United States for citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries and refugees from anywhere in the world.
Protesters described the order as the “Muslim ban” that Trump promised his supporters on the campaign trail. In a statement over the weekend, Trump said the ban isn’t targeting Muslims but is “about terror and keeping our country safe.”
Trump’s order blocks travelers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days and refugees from any country for 120 days. Over the weekend, protests cropped up at airports and other places across the country. Tens of thousands protested outside the White House, in Boston’s Copley Square and in New York City’s Battery Park, according to the Washington Post.
Akron’s gathering was of a much smaller magnitude, but protesters showed similar passion. Many carried signs and chanted. While several signs had images of the Statue of Liberty, one of the more poignant was handwritten with words taken from the inscription at the statue’s base: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free …” The inscription was also read in its entirety during the protest.
Among several speakers at the protest was Ahmad Deeb of the Islamic Society of Akron and Kent.
“We live in difficult times,” Deeb said into a megaphone. “If you disagree, you’ve been listening to too many alternative facts — that is, lies.”
Someone in the crowd chimed in.
“Or they’re not listening at all.”
Deeb, a Muslim American, called on the crowd to keep fighting for those in need.
“If we don’t stand up, we’re sitting in silence in the face of injustice, and is there anything more un-American than that?” he said. “I stand before you unapologetically American, and it’s because I’m unapologetically American that I can be unapologetically Muslim.”
The crowd cheered.
National media over the weekend told stories of noncitizens — some with visas from the U.S. government — being turned away or even detained at the border. Critics of the travel ban alleged it made America less safe because it could drive people to join extremist groups like the Islamic State. Others said the ban possibly violates the U.S. Constitution and obligations under the Geneva Convention.
All the while, Trump was adamant that the ban was necessary to protect Americans.
“We will begin issuing visas to all countries once we are sure we have reviewed and implemented the most secure policies over the next 90 days,” he said in a statement.
But that wasn’t good enough for the protesters in Akron.
Seham Sayed, an Egyptian-American Muslim who earned citizenship last year, described the ban as a violation of human rights.
“It’s not about being Muslim,” she said. “It’s about being a human being. We should be welcome anywhere.”
Another protester, retired minister David Loar, held a sign reading, “Jesus was a refugee.” Asked about his sign, Loar said far too many Americans use their Christianity as justification for hatred.
“In the name of Jesus, people are being abused, ashamed, and excluded,” he said. “That’s not the Christian way.”
He said people should be reminded of Jesus’ story and the words he spoke.
“Here we are claiming to be a Christian nation,” Loar said, “but Jesus said to seek out the one who needs help and leave behind the other 99. These actions by our government send a message that we choose the 99 and don’t want the one.”
Nick Glunt can be reached at 330-996-3565 or nglunt@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickGluntABJ and on Facebook @JournoNickGlunt .