In Boston, Jewish and Muslim Communities March Together Against Islamophobia

"Hey, hey! Ho, ho! Islamophobia has got to go!" was ringing through the air in front of the Massachusetts State House.

Four hundred members of the Jewish and Muslim communities marched in a coordinated, 25-city event. Protesters say they are against Islamophobia and racism, seeking to draw attention to a commitment for justice during the Chanukah holiday.

Speakers voiced concerns about immigration restrictions, President-elect Trump's slated Muslim registry, and surveillance programs.

"My parents found refuge in the US after fleeing wars in Lebanon and Palestine," said Mona Abdo of Palestine Advocacy Project. "But now, after the election, everyone is scared." She referenced the recent rise in anti-Muslim hate crimes in the wake of the election, and asked everyone to keep fighting after the election.

Poetry by Pakistani spoken word artist Zainab Syed was read before the march.

In a statement, Jewish Voice for Peace, one of the groups coordinating the event, said "We are protesting existing policies like heightened surveillance and policing of Muslims and other communities of color, and the racist climate fostered by President-elect Donald Trump’s rhetoric and his deeply disturbing Cabinet appointees such as Steven Bannon."

“My father survived the Holocaust and because of his stories, I learned as young child that a society can turn on its most vulnerable citizens and it is our job to stand up and say no. Now is the time that we need to stand with our Muslim friends and neighbors.” said Richard Colbath-Hess a social worker and JVP-Boston member.

Image: Isaac Simon Hodes