YWCA USA is outraged about the anti-Muslim protests scheduled to occur outside of 20 mosques in communities across the country by armed protesters. Organized by a group identified by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a “fiercely anti-government, militaristic group”, the protests this weekend are indicative of growing Islamophobic sentiment in the U.S. In the past decade, there has been a steady increase in backlash and hate crimes targeting Muslim, Sikh, South Asian and Arab communities.

Today’s protests are just one more example of the willingness of some to use threats and hate to silence marginalized groups in the United States. No faith community should have to risk their safety to attend prayer services at their place of worship. YWCA USA is committed to eliminating racism in all of its forms, wherever it exists and supports the equal rights of all citizens to live free of racial, ethnic and religious discrimination.