Local Church Plans Vigil Tonight in Protest of Immigration Order

ARLINGTON— The First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington and other community groups are holding a candlelight vigil in protest of President Donald Trump's recent restrictions on immigrants and refugees entering the country. The vigil will be held tonight from 6:00-6:30 p.m. on the lawn of the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church at 630 Mass. Ave. All faiths are welcome.

Amy Hannah Anderson is a member of First Parish and told Patch she is attending the vigil to stand with her Muslim friends and neighbors. She said, "I want to stand with neighbors who believe that America's strength is in its diversity and in its fierce protection of First Amendment rights, including freedom of religion."

Lynette Martin is a member and interim Co-Chair of Diversity and Inclusion at the parish. In a phone interview with Patch, she said that the vigil started out as a small idea and grew much larger with community interest. "It started as a sort of overall request from within the congregation to gather for thought and reflection. It has morphed larger because there seems to be concern from various organizations within the town." Forty parishioners attended an immigration rally in Copley Square protesting Trump's executive order banning immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries.

According to the event listing, the event was being held in support of Muslim neighbors and World Hijab Day (WHD). World Hijab Day is an international day of support for Muslim women who choose to wear a hjiab. WHD was created as a means to foster religious tolerance and understanding by inviting all women to experience the head covering for one day. Church organizers later informed Patch that they are retracting the postings about World Hijab day because they read about controversy surrounding the event and don't want to make anyone feel unwelcome.

Co-Sponsors are: Mystic LGBTQ+ Youth Support Network, the Arlington International Film Festival, Winchester Multicultural Network, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Observance Committee, Friends for Racial Justice at Friends Meeting Cambridge, Housing Corporation of Arlington.

Image: Creative Commons