Forum focuses on officer's ambush, neighborhood's fears

Several hundred people gathered Thursday night at a West Philadelphia school to address concerns raised by the shooting of a Philadelphia police officer by a man who allegedly claimed allegiance to the Islamic State.

National attention has been on the link to international terrorism, but for many residents of the neighborhood near Cobbs Creek, fear is nothing new.

During the evening assembly at Bryant School, 60th Street and Cedar Avenue, some repeated familiar refrains: Seniors are too afraid to leave their houses, and gun violence is commonplace.

The focus was supposed to be the ambush of Officer Jesse Hartnett last week, and Imam Asim Abdur-Rashid of Masjid Al-Mujahideen assured those in attendance that there was no known danger lurking in Philadelphia's Islamic community.

"The Islamic community is just as much a part of this society, and the members of the community feel that it's their responsibility to see that society is safe, just like it's everyone else's responsibility to feel the same way," Abdur-Rashid said.

Then he spoke about his personal fear.

"If you talk about terrorism, I'm terrorized every time I walk out of my house," he said, prompting an eruption of applause.

"Because I don't know what might happen, and I'm scared," he said. "When I pull up to the stop sign and I see someone staring at me, crazy for no reason whatsoever, and I think they may shoot me, I'm scared."

He continued: "So, when we're talking about terrorism, we must be real, and we must face the facts that we all live in terror, because people are shooting up and down the street, and when you're talking about a public safety issue, you're talking about every crime that takes place in this city that we as neighbors and as residents should be addressing."

State Sen. Anthony H. Williams (D., Phila.), who organized the meeting, urged people to resist giving in to fear.

"I'm not going to live my life in fear here. I'm not," he said to some applause. "I'm not going to be crazy, I'm not going to be a hero, but I'm not going to allow for my paranoia to imprint upon someone else."

Many in the audience were Muslims, and some voiced concerns that the incident was again unfairly reflecting on them. One speaker suggested that if anyone had a question about Muslims, "ask a Muslim."

Others spoke about the tension between police and minorities.

That people were eager to come together and address the various issues was heartening, said State Rep. Joanna E. McClinton (D., Phila.). "Seeing each and every one of you out here tonight, I am encouraged," she said.

bmoran@phillynews.com

215-854-5983@RobertMoran215