100s protest attack on Islamic Center in Davis, Calif.

Militant/Carole Lesnick

DAVIS, Calif. — Several hundred people rallied at Central Park Jan. 27 in solidarity with the Islamic Center here, which was attacked the previous Sunday. Six windows were broken, two bicycles damaged and raw bacon was placed on a door handle. A woman was captured on security video carrying out the attack.

“Power in defense of freedom is greater than power in behalf of tyranny and oppression,” said Ustadh Kamran Islam, speaking for the Tarbiya Institute, quoting Malcolm X, “because power, real power, comes from our conviction which produces action, uncompromising action.” He asked for help to repair the damage.

Nida Ahmed, a vice president of the Muslim Student Association at the University of California Davis campus, said she and others had been raising money to build wells to provide clean drinking water for people in Flint, Michigan, when the next day, “we woke up to the news that our beloved place of worship, our mosque, had been vandalized.”

“We are reminded that all of us, regardless of religion, have the right to worship as we choose,” Rabbi Seth Castleman said, reading from a statement on behalf of the local Bet Haverim synagogue. “Attacks such as this one are a strike against all of us.” In photo above Castleman, with sign, speaks with Islam.

“Add our voice to the outpouring of protest against the recent attack on your center,” Eric Simpson, chairman of the Socialist Workers Party in Oakland, said in a Jan. 25 letter.

Members of the SWP joined the rally, holding signs calling for the U.S. rulers to withdraw all their troops from the Middle East and “No to scapegoating of Muslims, Jews and immigrants.” Dozens of other area groups participated, including the Sacramento Central Labor Council.

— JOEL BRITTON