MURFREESBORO, TN - In response to the arson of construction equipment at the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro’s future site, Middle Tennesseans for Religious Freedom will hold a candlelight vigil in front of the Rutherford County courthouse on Monday, August 30 at 7 p.m.

The Islamic Center of Murfreesboro (ICM) was alerted by the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office to the arson around 1:30 a.m. Saturday morning, according to reports from the Daily News Journal. The matter is currently being investigated by the Sheriff’s department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Middle Tennesseans for Religious Freedom (MTRF) hopes the vigil will remind community members to remain peaceful in the course of the debate over the ICM’s relocation, regardless of their personal opinions on the issue. MTRF encourages everyone who is in favor of treating our neighbors with respect and without violence, even those who oppose the ICM’s relocation, to come out and show their opposition to the arson and other tactics of intimidation.

“MTRF supports the constitutional rights of the ICM in seeking a worship space which suits their growing needs, but more importantly, we support the members of the ICM as our neighbors, coworkers, fellow citizens and friends,” said Claire Rogers, spokesperson for MTRF.  “These acts of vandalism were meant to scare Members of our community, and it is apparent they succeeded in that end.”

“We simply cannot allow the actions of a few destructive individuals to go overlooked by Rutherford County residents. It’s truly a shame that we have reached this point, but it is up to us to ensure the intimidation goes no further,” Rogers said.

The debate over the ICM’s relocation has become increasingly heated in recent weeks, with members of both support and opposition groups becoming victims of slander, physical threats and emotional intimidation. MTRF believes this  behavior is unacceptable and urges individuals to remember their humanity when dealing with this emotional, yet strictly political, issue.