Phoenix police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation say they are aware of a man’s plans for a Muhammad cartoon drawing contest scheduled for Friday in front of a Phoenix mosque.
“I let them know we’re coming to their doorstep and we’re going to be there utilizing our First Amendment; we’ll be ready to protect it with our Second Amendment,” contest organizer Jon Ritzheimer said.
The cartoon drawing contest is similar to one in Garland, TX, at which two men from Phoenix tried to ambush participants, shooting a security guard before they were shot and killed by police.
“I’m just a blatant, blunt, outspoken Marine,” Ritzheimer said.
Ritzheimer says the Garland shooting struck a nerve.
“I appreciate the (Phoenix Islamic Center) did come out and they condemned the two gunman,” Ritzheimer said. “They’ve come out and they’ve condemned ISIS.”
But it’s still not enough from the Phoenix Islamic Community Center of Phoenix, where the two gunmen worshipped, he said.
“People call them an extremist; to me it’s just a Muslim following their book as it’s written,” Ritzheimer said.
Ritzheimer has organized the rally in front of the Phoenix mosque at the same time as its worship service.
“These are the measures that we have to take to expose the true colors of this religion,” he said. “Unfortunately, we have to hold the cartoon contest, as silly as it sounds, to be able to show the true colors of Islam.”
Ritzheimer labeled Islam an “intolerant religion.”
“Here in America we have the freedom of speech and it’s under attack from Islam,” he said.
Ritzheimer expresses his feeling with a T-shirt that reads "$*#! Islam.”
“There’s going to be plenty of them,” he said. “I have a whole fresh order coming to the rally.”
Ritzheimer maintains the rally in front of the mosque is not meant to stir up trouble.
“I let them know that we’re coming on that day and that I hope everything can remain peaceful,” he said.
Usama Shami, president of the Phoenix Islamic Center, declined an on-camera interview, but said he is aware of the group’s planned protest.
He said that as long as the protesters stay off the property, they can rally all they want.
Neither law enforcement agency would disclose what type of police presence there might be.