Texas Muslim Capitol Day Expected to Draw Large Crowd, Possible Protests

AUSTIN — Days after President Donald Trump unveiled a travel ban on citizens from seven countries with majority-Muslim populations, organizers of Texas Muslim Capitol Day are expecting Tuesday's crowd to be the largest yet. "People are feeling really defensive of Muslims right now," said former Rep. Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth, who helped support the first Texas Muslim Capitol day in 2003. "They are so agitated about what the president is doing."The event gives the Muslim community in Texas a chance to meet with lawmakers for a day of citizen lobbying. Organizers for Tuesday's event said they're expecting at least 500 attendees. Rep. Celia Israel, D-Austin, and Rep. Ina Minjarez, D-San Antonio, are expected to deliver remarks outside the Capitol. Faith leaders from Austin, Houston and San Antonio are also scheduled to speak.The Council on American-Islamic Relations, which organizes the event, is providing transportation for citizens who wish to attend. Different grass-roots organizations asked volunteers to gather outside the Capitol early Tuesday morning to practice being a human chain to protect event participants. "There will be a community of non-Muslims to protect them from anything," Burnam said.The event drew protests in 2015, the first time since its inception in 2003 that it caused hostility at the Capitol.   Continue reading...

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