Rock Hill, York County Muslims see no protests Friday, yet wary as part of national concern

Muslims in Rock Hill and rural York County saw no protests Friday during prayer services, but remain on alert over security and safety as at least 20 protests against Muslims and mosques are planned through Saturday around the country.

Friday afternoon is the day of worship for Muslims. The “Global Rally for Humanity” is supposed to happen at sites around the country and urges people who are against Muslims to protest Islam Friday and Saturday at all mosques in America. The dates of protest were set to coincide with an event in Washington on the 20th anniversary of the Million Man March that involves Muslim leaders and activists.

Some Muslims were concerned that protesters who had followed the protest movement started on social media might be armed. At Rock Hill’s mosque on Main Street just west of downtown – which opened in 2013 with almost no opposition unlike some mosques around the country – security leaders kept a wary eye on the building and parking area before and during Friday’s services.

Abdul Khanani, one of the mosque’s leaders, said he spoke to FBI and Rock Hill police officials Friday before the service so that leaders at the mosque could prepare for a potential protest. That protest never happened. The service went by without problems and about 100 Muslims attended the services without incident.

“It appears to be a false alarm, but we always want to be prepared and careful,” said Jasiri Makadara, spokesman for the Islamic Center of South Carolina that operates the Rock Hill mosque.

Muslims also recognize that protests are guaranteed by the Constitution, Makadara said, but Muslims were told of “a potential open protest” by law enforcement officials.

FBI spokesman Don Wood in the Columbia office said that the agency is aware of possible protests that are supposedly planned around the country, including one in Charleston. However, there is no specific knowledge that either the Rock Hill mosque or Holy Islamville, a rural York County community of Muslims, would be targets of protests, Wood said.

Members of the Rock Hill mosque and Islamville have repeatedly invited law enforcement and other leaders to their sites to try to show the community that they are no different from any other residents.

The York County Sheriff’s Office is aware of the potential for protest at Holy Islamville but did not expect any problems, said Trent Faris, spokesman for the department. The community of Muslims has been at Islamville for more than 30 years.

Protest concerns prompted Islamville residents to call law enforcement to ask for extra patrols to ensure safety and security, said Ramadan Sayeed Shakir, a leader at Islamville, and deputies came by Friday and found no problems.

James “Jumah” Moore, executive director of the Islamic Center of South Carolina, said that worshippers would remain vigilant after Muslims have been told in recent days of planned protests around the country.

This story was originally published October 9, 2015 at 4:56 PM with the headline "Rock Hill, York County Muslims see no protests Friday, yet wary as part of national concern."