Approximately 500 people gathered outside an Islamic center in Phoenix on Friday. Despite the media raising fears about organizers, the only thing that was raised were the voices of opposing sides.
Former Marine Jon Ritzheimer, who organized the event said he had hoped to inspire more freedom-of-speech rallies.
Police created a barrier between the two sides, and only a handful of people on both sides of the barricade attempted to taunt each other.
The protestors did not interrupt prayer services which continued as scheduled.
Elton Simpson, the Jihadist who was killed in a shootout with Garland Police along with Nadir Soofi, attended the Islamic Community Center of Phoenix mosque until the FBI arrested him on the false statement charges.
Beginning in 2009, FBI Phoenix had an open criminal investigation into Simpson, and certain of his associates, who have traveled to foreign countries, in particular Somalia, to fight jihad.
Anjem Choudary launched a Twitter campaign immediately after news broke about the attack in Texas. Choudary (@anjemchoudary) tweeted, “#garlandshooting we must learn the lessons from Rushdie, Hirsi Ali, Theo Van Gogh & Chalie Hebdo not to insult the Messenger Muhammad (saw)!”
Still, the media tried to paint Ritzheimer and his group as dangerous.
According to reports, Ritzheimer said he and his family are going into hiding after threats on his life.
“I’m having to sell my house. My family is in hiding right now,” Ritzheimer told Fox10 News. “I’m having to go into hiding after this because they’re calling for a ‘lone wolf’ to come and behead me. That’s following their book as it’s written … and that’s tyranny. That’s terrorism, right here in America. This isn’t happening overseas, this is in America.”