Dozens Of Hateful, Racist Messages Shared In Montco Amid Ramadan Celebrations

HATFIELD TOWNSHP, PA — Dozens of hateful and racist messages have covered social media posts celebrating the Muslim holiday of Ramadan around Montgomery County over the past day, sparking concern from local officials and advocates.

Some of the posts were angered that local governments and police departments were wishing Muslim neighbors well without similarly celebrating Ash Wednesday. While the first day of Lent is an important moment for Christians, it is not considered a "holiday."

"The real crux of the matter is what some of you have in your hearts," Hatfield Police Chief William Tierney shared in a response Thursday. "You really aren’t mad that we missed your 'happy' day, you are mad because we wished people happiness who you don’t particularly care for. That is the root of both the obvious and the veiled comments."

Nearly 200 comments had filled up a Lansdale Police Facebook post on Ramadan as of Thursday afternoon. Posts ranged from the simple "you know it's Ash Wednesday, right!" to posts about pork products, which Muslims are forbidden from eating, and posts urging Muslims "back to the Sandbox."

Posts on the Montgomery County government page as well as the Hatfield Police Department page were filled with similar vitriol.

"How dare we wish people well, even though this community shares the richness of what everyone brings to the table," Tierney added. "We police everyone the same, and we share joy and grief with everyone we know, even many we don’t know well. You have my word on that. We live in a diverse community. We have a diverse Police department. We are proud to serve and we serve this community well. I ask that you respect each other all of the time, please do so when you are on our page. "

The sharing of well wishes on Ramadan from Christian or non-religious communities is not new, but the controversy is. It comes as the notion of diversity and recognition of minority peoples comes under attack, with racial rhetoric driving anti-immigration pushes and other cultural changes nationwide. The Trump administration also recently attempted to remove a slavery exhibit at the President's House site in Philadelphia, though the exhibit was returned after Montgomery County and other local governments joined a lawsuit in protest of the move.