DALLAS, Texas — ACT for America, the nation’s largest grassroots organization devoted to promoting national security and defeating terrorism, organized marches “against Sharia and for human rights” in 28 U.S. cities. In Texas, the rallies took place on Saturday in Dallas, Houston, and Austin.

In Texas, only the Austin March Against Sharia got a bit dicey.

The Austin American-Statesman reported a tense situation at the Texas State Capitol where dozens rallied against Sharia law and many more railed against them. Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, some in riot gear, others on horseback, maintained positions outside the Capitol to keep the two groups separate and secure the surrounding streets. In total, hundreds came out, officials reported.

During the course of the day, around 40 anti-Sharia protesters carried American flags and wore MAGA hats while 80 counter-demonstrators called anti-Sharia people racists, Nazis, and Islamophobes, according to the Austin newspaper.

About 40 anti-Sharia protestors, many holding US flags/MAGA hats. 80counter protestors saying anti-Sharia ppl are racists/Nazi/Islamophobic — Nicole Barrios (@NBBarrios) June 10, 2017

Anti-Sharia law protesters faced counter-demonstrators from the questionable Southern Poverty Law Center.

Anti-Sharia law protesters are facing counter protestors from Southern Poverty Law Center & Texans against Islamophobia. pic.twitter.com/wyhqLUVqL3 — Nicole Barrios (@NBBarrios) June 10, 2017

Women against Sharia law chanted “women’s rights,” standing against female genital mutilation (FGM) and honor killings.

A small group of women chanting “women’s rights” at those w/signs against enslaving women trying to see if they agree w/women’s right move. pic.twitter.com/I3i8bWy4oj — Nicole Barrios (@NBBarrios) June 10, 2017

The Statesman added that some counter-protesters wore masks over their faces and called marchers against Sharia law white supremacists, chanting “punch a Nazi,” and “No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA.”

In Dallas, one of the event organizers, Rob Onegorena, estimated 150 to 175 “racially diverse” north Texans rallied peacefully. They held their March Against Sharia across the street from the Islamic Association of North Texas, better known as the Richardson mosque.

Onegorena said they faced fewer counter-demonstrators, roughly 75, and a promoted “End White Supremacy” protest from the Dallas Workers Front, a group that describes itself as “a crew of socialists, anarchists, and communists ready to fight for workers and all oppressed peoples across Dallas, did not materialize.

Before the march, Richardson Police Department spokesman Sgt. Kevin Perlich told Breitbart Texas, “We’ve had these types of protests before. We were prepared for those and we’re prepared for this one.”



Photo credit: Thomas Lopez Photography

The Dallas march ran smoothly. Conservative women’s rights activist Delicia Dawn spoke against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and submissive practices against women under Sharia law. Online, ACT for America states among their reasons for the event “many aspects of Sharia law run contrary to basic human rights and are completely incompatible with our laws and our democratic values.”

Participants held American, Texas flags and Israeli flags. Bystander Ron Hoyle captured the peaceful mood of the Richardson-held event.

The Dallas rally appealed to many different kinds of people, including a 16-year old lesbian who stood “against radical Islam and anti-LGBT politicians.”

In Houston, Breitbart Texas spoke with Liz Theiss of Stop the Magnet, who attended the March Against Sharia. She said around 150 patriots came out for the ACT for America march, while around five dozen counter-protesters, representing a mix of open-borders activists and radical left reactionary groups like Antifa, came out. She called the march “relatively peaceful” as the two groups remained separated by fencing. She also shared that some members of left-wing groups called them hateful and bigots.

On Facebook, Theiss thanked local law enforcement officers and ACT for America March Against Sharia organizers. “So good to be out for a worthy cause with all the smart people,” she wrote in a short video towards the end of the march.

Follow Merrill Hope, a member of the original Breitbart Texas team, on Twitter.