Muslims and Jews in Norway formed a 'ring of peace' around Oslo's one functioning synagogue in a show of solidarity. (Photo: EPA)
In Gesture of Solidarity, Norwegian Muslims Form 'Ring of Peace' Around Oslo Synagogue
'There are many more peace mongers than war mongers,' an organizer said.
More than 1,000 Muslims in Norway joined together in sub-zero temperatures on Saturday to form a protective circle around Oslo's sole functioning synagogue as a gesture of solidarity with the city's Jewish community following last week's attacks on a synagogue in neighboring Denmark.
Chanting "No to anti-Semitism, no to Islamophobia," the group, made up of both Muslim and Jewish participants, stood in what they called a "ring of peace" around the building. The gesture comes shortly after the attacks on Charlie Hebdo magazine headquarters in Paris, which left 17 people dead, as well as the more recent shooting at a free speech event at a Copenhagen synagogue.
"There are many more peace mongers than war mongers," Zeeshan Abdullah, one of the organizers of the event, said on Saturday. "There's still hope for humanity, for peace and love, across religious differences and backgrounds."
Another organizer, Hajrah Arshad, said the gathering also shows that "Islam is about love and unity."
Ervin Kohn, one of the leaders of the country's small Jewish community, said the vigil "fills us with hope... particularly as it's a grassroots movement of young Muslims." He added, "Working against fear alone is difficult and it is good that we are so many here together."
Abdullah continued, "We want to demonstrate that Jews and Muslims do not hate each other. We do not want individuals to define what Islam is for the rest of us."
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. The final deadline for our crucial Summer Campaign fundraising drive is just days away, and we’re falling short of our must-hit goal. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
More than 1,000 Muslims in Norway joined together in sub-zero temperatures on Saturday to form a protective circle around Oslo's sole functioning synagogue as a gesture of solidarity with the city's Jewish community following last week's attacks on a synagogue in neighboring Denmark.
Chanting "No to anti-Semitism, no to Islamophobia," the group, made up of both Muslim and Jewish participants, stood in what they called a "ring of peace" around the building. The gesture comes shortly after the attacks on Charlie Hebdo magazine headquarters in Paris, which left 17 people dead, as well as the more recent shooting at a free speech event at a Copenhagen synagogue.
"There are many more peace mongers than war mongers," Zeeshan Abdullah, one of the organizers of the event, said on Saturday. "There's still hope for humanity, for peace and love, across religious differences and backgrounds."
Another organizer, Hajrah Arshad, said the gathering also shows that "Islam is about love and unity."
Ervin Kohn, one of the leaders of the country's small Jewish community, said the vigil "fills us with hope... particularly as it's a grassroots movement of young Muslims." He added, "Working against fear alone is difficult and it is good that we are so many here together."
Abdullah continued, "We want to demonstrate that Jews and Muslims do not hate each other. We do not want individuals to define what Islam is for the rest of us."
More than 1,000 Muslims in Norway joined together in sub-zero temperatures on Saturday to form a protective circle around Oslo's sole functioning synagogue as a gesture of solidarity with the city's Jewish community following last week's attacks on a synagogue in neighboring Denmark.
Chanting "No to anti-Semitism, no to Islamophobia," the group, made up of both Muslim and Jewish participants, stood in what they called a "ring of peace" around the building. The gesture comes shortly after the attacks on Charlie Hebdo magazine headquarters in Paris, which left 17 people dead, as well as the more recent shooting at a free speech event at a Copenhagen synagogue.
"There are many more peace mongers than war mongers," Zeeshan Abdullah, one of the organizers of the event, said on Saturday. "There's still hope for humanity, for peace and love, across religious differences and backgrounds."
Another organizer, Hajrah Arshad, said the gathering also shows that "Islam is about love and unity."
Ervin Kohn, one of the leaders of the country's small Jewish community, said the vigil "fills us with hope... particularly as it's a grassroots movement of young Muslims." He added, "Working against fear alone is difficult and it is good that we are so many here together."
Abdullah continued, "We want to demonstrate that Jews and Muslims do not hate each other. We do not want individuals to define what Islam is for the rest of us."