The event was sponsored by the American Muslim Advisory Council of Tennessee (AMAC). The group was started two years ago when Tennessee's legislature was considering a bill that would have made following sharia law a felony, with a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.The AMAC invited U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee Bill Killian and Kenneth Moore, a special agent in charge of the FBIÂ’s Knoxville Division, to speak about the line between free speech and hate speech, as well as how the Muslim community has helped in law enforcement investigations.
AMAC member Zak Mohyuddin,said a recent Facebook post by Coffee County Commissioner Barry West “catalyzed” the meeting, but that the gathering was not being held to address West’s actions specifically. Weeks ago, West posted a photo of a man pointing a gun at a camera with a caption reading, “How to wink at a Muslim.” The county commissioner removed the photo and apologized, but not before the story went viral.
The first several speakers were interrupted sporadically by protesters, including a cheer from some in the crowd when Sabina Mohyuddin showed a photo of a mosque in Columbia, Tenn. that was burned down in 2008. Throughout the meeting, many in the audience tried, with little success, to quiet the hecklers.
Killian received the most hostile reaction from the protestors, some of whom shouted “traitor,” “why are you here” and demanded his resignation just seconds into his remarks.
