POMPANO BEACH, Fla. — A coalition of ministers led by the Rev. O’Neal Dozier plan to distribute comic strip booklets about the Islam religion, which they believe “teaches evil and hatred,” in opposition to a zoning change that allows the Islamic Center of South Florida to begin construction on a new mosque in a predominantly black community.
The city council voted 3-2 in June to change the zoning of the proposed site from residential to commercial, allowing the Islamic Center to erect a larger mosque on undeveloped land on Northwest 16th Avenue.
Dozier, who is black, said he hopes the booklets he and his religious peers plan to distribute Saturday morning will “educate the public concerning the Islamic fascism.” Although the booklets are comic strips, the message they deliver is serious.
Altaf Ali, executive director of the Council of American Islamic Relations, called Dozier a “bigot” and “prejudiced.” “I think his information and knowledge of Islam is very limited,” Ali said.
Despite the ongoing protests, Islamic Center leaders said they hope to break ground on the new mosque within a year.