Two gunmen were shot dead by cops after they attacked ‘Muhammad Art Exhibit and Cartoon Contest’ at Curtis Culwell Center in Garland near Dallas; one of them, Elton Simpson, was a former terror suspect well known to the FBI. The other man involved is believed to have been his roommate in a Phoenix apartment.
Simpson, also known as Ibrahim in the Arizona Muslim community, was a convert to Islam and convicted of making a false statement involving international and domestic terrorism and sentenced to three years of probation. He had made his intentions clear via a tweet hours before opening fire at the Center.
An ISIS fighter too claimed on Twitter that the shooting was carried out by two pro-ISIS individuals.
Brit jihadi claims #ISIS behind #texasattack: “They Thought They Was Safe In Texas From The Soldiers of The Islamic State” @siteintelgroup
— Annabel Symington (@A_Symington) May 4, 2015
Douglas Athas, the mayor of Garland, told reporters, “Two men in a car tried to drive into the parking lot, jumped out with automatic rifles. Started firing at an unarmed schools security officer who was hit in the leg. He was transported to the hospital. The first suspect was shot immediately. The second was shot and wounded, reached for his backpack and, of course, officers not knowing any idea what was in the backpack, shot him again and he was killed.”
The American Freedom Defense Initiative contest, described as a “free speech event”, had offered a $10,000 prize for the best caricature of the prophet. This is the winning cartoon:
The winning cartoon from #garlandshooting. Now getting more circulation than it would have done if no #texasattack. pic.twitter.com/SjDKd16DBS — A Libertarian Rebel (@A_Liberty_Rebel) May 4, 2015
Opponents are now attacking both the event and its organizers calling it an attack on Islam. The AFDI has responded saying they “were simply exercising their right of expression”, while Pamela Geller, the group’s president, has noted the extra $10,000 on security was “the high cost of freedom”. The AFDI’s event was attended by Geert Wilders, the Dutch far-right populist politician who heads the Party for Freedom and has been accused of inciting racial hatred after pledging in 2014 to ensure there would be “fewer Moroccans” in the Netherlands.
@jihadwatchRS #FreeSpeech event? Wasn’t it more like a spreading hate and asking for trouble event? #texasattack #texasattack
— J. Zach Hollo (@JZachHollo) May 4, 2015
the insulting drawings inside the building were a greater crime than murder #texasattack — Mizanur Rahman (@Abu_Baraa1) May 4, 2015
Did white people not learn from the Charlie Hebdo terror attack???! Why in hell do you have a “Draw Muhammad” art exhibit!!!! #texasattack
— melissa. (@annoyedarab) May 4, 2015
You f**kin hypocrates. Dare to draw #Holocaust in the name of freedom of expression. You will spend rest of your life in prison #texasattack — Under-Cover ︻┳テ=一 (@SSGsniper) May 4, 2015
Remember when Catholics shot at people over elephant dung being thrown at the Virgin Mary in the name of art. Yeah, me neither #TexasAttack
— PS (@ParvaSaeua) May 4, 2015
According to the Left it is exercising free speech to stomp USA flag, but insulting to muslims to draw muhammad . #texasattack — Dodie (@DodieClouse) May 4, 2015
People are hurt, but then there are some sane voices too.
As a Muslim, I am much more offended when violent people kill in the name of my religion than I am when Islamophobes attack it. #TexasAttack
— عمر فلسطين (@WeTeachLifeSir_) May 4, 2015
It’s no surprise that those who commit acts of terror in “the name of Islam” have NO knowledge/involvement w/ Islam/community. #TexasAttack — AbdelRahman Murphy (@AbdelRahmanM) May 4, 2015
More people have died this year from Toonophobia than Islamophobia. #garlandshooting #texasattack pic.twitter.com/m8UyDYVXSe
— Chile’s Atheist (@lalodagach) May 4, 2015
Geller/Wilder and ISIS all want a war. Don’t give it to them. #texasattack pic.twitter.com/HPUOaAFetd — Omar Suleiman (@omarsuleiman504) May 4, 2015
Don’t allow this hate. Stand tall stand together and #TakeOnHate. Stay united. Scary as hell. #TexasAttack pic.twitter.com/0vkLImM7Lk
— Linda Sarsour (@lsarsour) May 4, 2015
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That was a set up if there was ever one…Just like hunting deer, throw down some food and dinner arrives. like shooting fish in a barrel..All these Christians, Bigot, Racist, Republicans and so called police should be in jail! Bating,leading on,These citizens asked for this to happen they begged for the killing, Somehow they just felt the bad guys were going to arrive..Yes! Didn’t get in the drive way …How convenient!Fuck All You Racist Assholes!
I was thinking the same thing.
No matter how much the media attacks Islam, Islam is still growing. Over 100,000 people in the US convert to Islam after studying it for themselves. Don’t believe the brainwashing media.
Good shooting officer.Dead jihadists are a good thing we need to stack up terrorist like sandbags .The liberals insult Jesus to you don’t see Christians shooting up art exhibits.Protest yes murder,no .So in the spirt of free speech I say if you Islamist are truly what Mohamed stands for then he is a pig a dog and his image should be used for toilet paper.Right now your prophet is having sex with pigs in Hell if he is such a animal as you.I guess you underestimate America .we are slow to awaken but we are and we all have guns shoot straight we don’t hit innocent people we hit our targets and like to hunt.Which means all, we need is a jihadist hunting permit and you will be extinct like the passenger pigeons.
Well said Tony says
When the crusaders attacked us we didn’t say christians are terrorists so if you think you’re awaken think again I’m a muslim and I’m not happy about what happened but think again why most of the mass media attack islam if you want to know me read my book (Quran) and then judge me as you like but don’t blindly judge me an judge you government that supports ISIS and you can check that out so please wake up and stop being so hateful
The page is so unreadable.
lovely act! the art contest should be heald anualy, and to al of you who says “this provokes attacks” and “they hade it coming” i say, it is not untill the rightous rest silent the wicked wins. and to those who cheer on these attackers i say, if you want to live in this world… grow a thicker skin. we AL have the right to slander anny ideas be they muslim christian or anny other fucked up fairytale.