Outpouring of Support for ‘Love a Muslim Day’ in Response to ‘Punish a Muslim Day’ | Sojourners

Outpouring of Support for ‘Love a Muslim Day’ in Response to ‘Punish a Muslim Day’

Image via Hernán Piñera / Flickr

In response to anonymous letters circulating throughout the United Kingdom calling for violence against Muslims on April 3, communities responded with love and solidarity, using a counter-hashtag #LoveAMuslimDay to the original hashtag #PunishAMuslimDay, according to The Guardian.

The letters declared April 3 to be "Punish a Muslim" Day, advocating for acts of violence against Muslims, including throwing acid in the face of a Muslim and bombing a mosque



Shahab Adris, Yorkshire & Humber regional manager of Muslim Engagement and Development, wrote an alternative letter that coined the #LoveAMuslimDay hashtag, calling for April 3 to be a day to extend acts of kindness to Muslims, including smiling at a Muslim and inviting a Muslim into your home.

"I thought, let’s turn this letter on its head, keep the points system and turn it into something lovely," Adris said. "Some of the responses I’ve seen from the Muslim community have been really positive, but the most remarkable thing has been getting responses from people who are not Muslim, saying they will do something with a Muslim colleague."

Multiple Love a Muslim Day events have been planned throughout the U.K. to show solidarity with the Muslim community.

The hashtag #ProtectAMuslimDay was also trending on social media, with volunteers manning phone lines to help people concerned about facing violence on April 3. 

According to The Guardian, one spokesperson said they've seen more than 100 volunteer sign up. 

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