Upper East Siders Organize Show of Solidarity Outside Neighborhood Mosque

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — A group of Upper East Siders have assembled in front of a neighborhood Mosque for the past three weeks to show solidarity with the muslim community in the wake of Donald Trump's presidential election victory.

Three weeks ago Alison Klein, Harold Levine and Chuck Edwards, outraged by the rise of intolerance and bias following the election, decided they needed to make a visible show of support. So they stood outside of Masjid Usman Bin Affan, located on East 55th Street between Lexington and 3rd avenues, with signs bearing positive messages.

"We're just a group of New Yorkers supporting our muslim friends due to recent election turmoil and the vitriol we are seeing, shockingly, in our own city," Klein told Patch. "The creep won for christ sakes, what would have happened if he lost."

Klein said that she met Levine and Edwards through mutual friends and her congregation, Beit Simchat Torah, which describes itself as the largest LGBT congregation in the world. Klein told Patch that what began as an impromptu show of support has evolved into a weekly event.

After prayer services at the mosque last week Klein said many of the congregants welcomed them inside and thanked them for their solidarity. Klein told Patch that in the coming weeks they may stand in front of a larger congregation and try to get more people to join their group.

"It’s difficult [to be hopeful]" Klein told Patch. "But being someone who’s always been politically active, yes I do feel hopeful because this is the greatest country on earth and we will come together."

Photo by Patch