Palestinian-American activist Linda Sarsour won hearts across the world with her powerful speech during the Women’s March in the American capital on Saturday. The executive director of the Arab American society of New York has since faced an Islamophobic backlash online, however.
Muslim women who wear the hijab often bear the brunt of anti-Muslim attacks, and sadly Sarsour is no exception. Right-wing websites and online trolls have flooded her social media accounts with abuse and false accusations of terrorism.
Among the falsified news stories about her were such titles as: "DC Women’s March Organizer Is Pro Sharia Law and Found To Have Ties To Terrorists Organization" and "Women’s March Organizer Recently Met Ex-Hamas Operative, Has Family Ties To Terror Group".
Yet, in the true spirit of the Women’s March movement, which calls for us to stand together, Twitter users have responded in force with the hashtag “I march with Linda” to defy the Islamophobic smear campaign with expressions of support.
We are proud to have @lsarsour as our co-chair. We will always have her back. #IMarchWithLinda pic.twitter.com/YyF4DEmxZ4
— Women's March (@womensmarch) January 23, 2017
Islamophobes have been attacking #WomensMarch organizer @lsarsour. We stand with her against this type of hate and bigotry. #IMarchWithLinda
— SPLC (@splcenter) January 23, 2017
.@lsarsour, like all emerging, prominent American Muslims, always attacked by fear-mongering bigots w/ anti-Muslim agenda. #ImarchwithLinda
— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) January 23, 2017
#IMarchWithLinda @lsarsour because we need to lift up our fellow citizens who stand up for freedom, always https://t.co/Rgk7192vTD
— Sophia Bush (@SophiaBush) January 24, 2017
Dear Trolls: #ImarchwithLinda is top trending HT on Twitter. Was your goal intimidation? To silence? Great strategy.
— Dalia Mogahed (@DMogahed) January 24, 2017
Those who have expressed solidarity with the Muslim-American campaigner include former Democratic presidential candidate, Bernie Sanders, whom Sarsour endorsed.
Thank you @lsarsour for helping to organize the march and build a progressive movement. When we stand together, we win. #IMarchwithLinda
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) January 24, 2017
As well as America’s first Muslim senator, Keith Ellison.
.@lsarsour remember when you helped lead Marchers from NYC to DC for equal justice? At it again, huh? #WomensMarch #imarchwithlinda
— Rep. Keith Ellison (@keithellison) January 24, 2017
In her moving address to the over a million demonstrators gathered in Washington the day after Donald Trump was sworn in as president, the “Brooklyn hijabi” said that she was “unapologetically Muslim American”.
“You can count on me, your Palestinian Muslim sister, to keep her voice loud, to keep her feet on the streets, keep [her] head held high because I am not afraid,” she added.
Her full speech can be seen here.
RA
