The organizers of a local rally against Islamophobia have decided to postpone the event that was to take place in front of the Federal Building in downtown Rochester Friday afternoon.
Sareer Fazili, president of the Islamic Center of Rochester, says the decision was made in light of yesterday's mass shooting in California, where the two suspects were reportedly Muslim.
“The events that occurred yesterday in San Bernardino, California, while totally and wholly unrelated to our event and unrelated to anything having to do with why we were holding the event, have shifted our focus," Fazili said. "Our primary concern is for the safety and security of the community than it is anything else.”
Fazili said goal of the rally for peace is to unite the community. He and other organizers are hoping to reschedule the event within the next four weeks.
He said Friday is not the right time for the rally given the "freshness of the wound" from yesterday's mass shooting.
"After we saw what happened in Paris, and many other instances and episodes of what we are now hearing and calling Islamophobia, we really wanted to show people that Muslims are just like everyone else," Fazili said. "They want the same things that everyone else wants. They want people to respect the law and they also want to be respected."