Newton Mayor Reaffirms Policy After Criticism Of Newton Eid Celebration

NEWTON, MA — Mayor Marc Laredo is reaffirming Newton's support for the city's first public Eid al-Adha celebration following criticism of the event and allegations of anti-Muslim rhetoric that emerged before and after it was held last month.

Laredo released a statement supporting the celebration after the Massachusetts chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations recently accused critics of waging an anti-Muslim campaign targeting Newton's Muslim community and the Islamic Center of Boston in Wayland.

"Newton is a welcoming city. We fully support the Eid celebration as we do celebrations of all other faiths and ethnicities in the City of Newton," Laredo's office told Patch. "People are welcome in Newton regardless of their religious ethnicity, or whether they've been here two weeks or twenty years. We believe the allegations that were made are unfounded, and we are looking forward to hosting the Eid celebration again next year in our War Memorial Auditorium."

Alongside the mayor's remarks, Communications Director Ellen Ishkanian also provided a statement to Patch outlining the city's policy for use of municipal facilities. According to the city, the War Memorial Auditorium is a multi-use facility available to private organizations and nonprofit groups interested in hosting meetings, events and celebrations. The city said it does not discriminate based on applicants' religious or cultural affiliations when granting access to city spaces, including the War Memorial, and that making those facilities available helps promote cultural programming and community gathering.

The statements come after CAIR-MA issued a public response to criticism surrounding the May 30 Eid al-Adha celebration, which the organization said subjected members of Newton's Muslim community to anti-Muslim rhetoric online. The civil rights organization called on elected officials, residents and interfaith organizations to reject discrimination targeting Muslims.

The celebration, believed to be Newton's first public Eid al-Adha observance, drew approximately 300 attendees after rainy weather forced organizers to move the event indoors to the War Memorial Auditorium. The free celebration featured food, music, cultural activities and family programming.

Before the event, a group sent a letter to Laredo criticizing the city's decision to allow the celebration at the War Memorial Auditorium. The letter reportedly questioned the city's process for approving organizations that use municipal facilities and raised concerns about several organizations it associated with the event, including the Islamic Center of Boston in Wayland.

Last week, CAIR-MA characterized the criticism as part of a broader anti-Muslim campaign and urged elected officials, residents and interfaith organizations to reject anti-Muslim discrimination and rhetoric targeting Muslims.

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