Hundreds of Rhode Islanders protest in support of Syrian refugees

On February 22nd, at 2:00 p.m., the entrance of the Rhode Island State House was quiet, with only a few people coming in. At 2:10, a line had begun to form outside the door, stretching along the southern wall. By 2:15, a crowd of about 200 people, both young and old, had gathered. The group included local religious leaders, activists, and students from Brown University. With a sea of signs in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic and other languages, they came to protest a press conference intended to urge Governor Gina Raimondo to reconsider her current stance, which welcomes Syrian refugees to settle in Rhode Island. As of now, more than 30 state governors have voiced opposition to letting Syrian refugees into their states. While legally state governments cannot decide whether or not to let Syrian refugees in, their opposition may slow down the Obama administration’s plan to bring 10,000 Syrian refugees to the United States by the end of 2016. This number is small in comparison to the number of refugees countries neighboring Syria like Turkey and Lebanon, among other countries, have taken in. Turkey and Lebanon have taken in a few million Syrian refugees, despite their small size comparatively to countries like the United States. While Raimondo has publicly stated her support for welcoming Syrian refugees, some lawmakers and Rhode Islanders disagree. Former Congressman and Chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee Peter Hoekstra and Representative Russell Chippendale hosted a press conference on Monday at the State House, calling for Raimondo to take away her support for Syrian refugees. The people at the State House supporting Hoekstra and Chippendale’s stances were greatly outnumbered by protesters of the event. The press conference featured the testimony of Dr. Charles Jacobs, the head of Americans for Peace and Tolerance, which some critics call a hate group. As the first of three speakers, Jacobs argued that, “Syrian refugees come from a culture that fundamentally rejects our (American) way of life.” “We welcome people who come here to join us and bolster our way of life,” Jacobs continued amidst audible backlash from the crowd. “…(But) Syrian refugees may pose a significant danger to Rhode Islanders.” Jacobs began elaborating on why he feels that Jewish Rhode Islanders would be in danger if Syrian families were allowed to continue settling in the state. His words were nearly indiscernible over the chants of, “don’t give in to racist fear, refugees are welcome here,” from the crowd. Jacobs referenced a study done of Syrian school textbooks, claiming that Syrian school curricula are designed to disseminate messages of hatred towards Americans. Amidst outcry from the protesters, one woman seated in the audience stood up to address Jacobs directly. She asked, “Do I look like a terrorist? I’m from Syria!” Many of the Rhode Islanders who cited security concerns regarding Syrian refugees say the current “vetting process” is not extensive enough. As of now, refugees seeking asylum in the United States must undergo a 22-step screening process that can take up to two years. Priscila Terry of Cranston expressed concern not only over refugees from Syria,  but people from all nations who she says have “anti-American governments.” “There is a small minority of people, primarily older people, who are very concerned about the safety and security — not just for themselves, but for their adult children and grandchildren. We are full of compassion for these people who are suffering. However, security is a prime interest on our part,” she added after the press conference. Raimondo has not commented on the press conference. She has already publicly expressed support for Syrian refugees seeking homes in Rhode Island, which has the highest Syrian population per capita in the United States. A family of five Syrian refugees arrived in Rhode Island, just two weeks prior to Monday’s press conference. This family joins the estimated 2,500 other Syrians who have been admitted into the United States since 2012, seeking asylum from a civil war that’s been ongoing for the past five years, displacing almost 4.6 million Syrians into other countries. More than 6 million Syrians have been internally displaced. Jane Jellison, a native Rhode Islander holding a cardboard sign with the Syrian flag drawn inside a heart, was among other protesters present who disagreed with Jacobs and Terry. Jellison pointed to Rhode Island’s history of accepting religious dissenters as one of many reasons Syrian refugees should be welcomed into New England. “The Governor got this right. This is a place that welcomes people. From Roger Williams on down we have been known for our hospitality and taking in those people who are just a little out there. That’s a tradition worth carrying on.” Jellison was joined by Mary Pendergast, a nun who attended the press conference with the Sisters of Mercy Northeast division in Cumberland, part of an international organization of Roman Catholic women . Pendergast was among representatives from other Rhode Island religious organizations, spanning across different faiths. Holding a sign that states “everyone belongs,” Pendergast arrived early and waited patiently for the rest of the crowd to assemble on the first floor of the State House. “I’m here to stand for the fact that everyone is a being of earth. Everyone belongs. I think that some people [the anti-refugee leaders] cut themselves off and don’t believe that we all belong to one web.” Protesters like Pendergast say that racism and fear mongering are the primary motivations behind the anti-refugee movement. Many attest that if roles were reversed, Syrians would welcome foreign refugees into their own homes. Adnan Adrian Wood-Smith, the Chaplain for the Muslim community at Brown University, experienced this firsthand while studying Arabic in Syria five years ago. “I was in Damascus in 2011 when the uprising started. The Syrians welcomed me into their homes and into their country, as well as my Jewish friends. I don’t think we should do anything different in terms of welcoming them into our country,” Wood-Smith said. Omar Bah, himself a refugee from Gambia, Africa, and the founder of the Refugee Dream Center in Providence, said he was moved by the protest. “I was fearful yesterday to hear that people were thinking of asking the governor to stop refugees from coming…to Rhode Island. But when I came here and saw that…the people who support the welcoming of refugees outnumbered them tenfold, I was excited. People are showing the real Rhode Island, the real America, which is of love, of openness [and] of respect…If we can take one percent of them and give them a new home and hope, we should be proud of ourselves.” Arturo Bory contributed to the writing and reporting of this story.