Garland Prepares For Possible Islamic Conference Protests
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NORTH TEXAS (CBS 11 NEWS) - The Garland Independent School District and Garland police are boosting security at the Curtis Culwell Center for Saturday's event aimed at combating 'Islamophobia.'
Police say they've heard anywhere from 100 to 2,000 people may show up to protest.
The event has stirred controversy over two of its speakers, and people have made threats online.
Alia Salem is the executive director of the DFW chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). "We're very concerned. We take these threats as credible threats until proven otherwise."
She says they requested tighter security after receiving this and other threats. "One message states I know where Garland is, I have guns, and I hope someone has dynamite."
Police are looking into the threats.
Hundreds of people, like Ken Emmanuelson, are expected to protest the two speakers and the event.
Emmanuelson says, "If they are receiving threats, they shouldn't be the response to CAIR is for us to be speaking, not for us to be threatening."
When asked if the controversy has led some people to decide not to go to the event, Salem said, "Yes, absolutely. There have been people who've made comments to me directly that I'm sorry, for the sake of my family, I don't feel this is something I should participate in, we should participate in."
Garland ISD, which owns the Culwell Center, says since last week, both the facility and school district have received more than 1,500 complaint calls about the event.
Emmanuelson said, "Personally, I think they should be able to speak their minds. I do have a problem with them speaking their minds at a facility that's paid for with taxpayer dollars."
The school district says it hasn't turned down an event because of its content. But now spokesman Chris Moore says they may consider an event's topic in the future.
"This will be an opportunity for us to look that what we're doing best suits the venue, best suits the customers, and also maintains that non-discriminatory approach."
Both Emmanuelson and Salem agree that protesters and event speakers have a guaranteed right to free speech. They hope everything will remain peaceful.
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