Hundreds of people attended rallies in New York yesterday. Above are anti-mosque protestors. The extremist Dutch politician Geert Wilders addressed one demonstration, saying: “We must never give a free hand to those who want to subjugate us, draw this line so that New York will never become New Mecca.”
Pro- and anti-mosque campaigners clash. Passions were running high, but the demonstrations passed without violent incident.
Protestors hold placards defending religious freedom.
Anti-mosque rallies were also addressed by Republican commentators, including the former US ambassador to the UN John Bolton.
Obama repeated his recent calls for unity, saying: “It was not a religion that attacked us that September day. It was al-Qaeda. We will not sacrifice the liberties we cherish or hunker down behind walls of suspicion and mistrust.”
Finally, firefighter Hassan Hamza, who lost three friends in the 2001 attack takes a quiet moment to mourn.
All photographs: AFP/Getty Images
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