Hundreds of protesters showed up outside Villa Park’s city hall Tuesday to take a stand against a councilwoman whose anti-Muslim statements have gone viral.
They spilled out from the council’s chambers, holding American Flags and signs saying, “I am a Muslim, I am not a terrorist,” referencing statements that Villa Park City Councilwoman Deborah Pauly made at a demonstration in February outside an event held by the Islamic Circle of North American Relief.
Pauly’s speech, which quickly went viral, referred to Muslims as evil, and claimed that soldiers fighting overseas were working towards “helping these terrorists make an early meeting in Paradise.”
“Make no bones about it, that is pure unadulterated evil,” Pauly said in the video, while pointing in the direction of the building hosting the Islamic event. “I don’t even care if you think I’m crazy any more.”
The video also showed loud crowds cheering Pauly and mocking the events participants while chanting “USA.”
Protesters are asking for the city to recognize her statements and hoping to raise awareness about the treatment of Muslims in America.
“What would be appropriate is for her to recognize that she is perpetuating hate in our city and to retract her statement and make a public apology,” protest organizer Nadia Hassan told KTLA.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department was on hand at the protest, providing security because the councilwoman has received multiple death threats.
Paul Dean Andrews, 27, was arrested at his home in San Pedro Monday and pleaded not guilty to charges that he sent Pauly death threats on Facebook.
The alleged threats, which were sent in a message on the social networking site earlier this month, included a threat to harm her with weapons.