Heated Pro-Refugee Rally In Murfreesboro Exposes Divided Community

As Harley Davidsons roared in the distance, Pat Dunn of Murfreesboro held back tears of joy.

“Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord,” she repeated. “We have a president, and people need to get behind him and unify this country and not go ahead and do what they’re doing.”

“They” are the Murfreesboro residents who packed the Rutherford County courthouse lawn Wednesday night in a show of support for the area’s growing refugee and immigrant populations. The event was one of many across the country in protest to President Trump’s temporary ban on refugee resettlement and travel restrictions from seven Muslim-majority nations.

“Congratulations, you’re an activist,” Democrat Gail Jordan, who just ran for state senate, told the crowd.

But even as the group held signs in support of undocumented immigrants and cheered on Muslim speakers who took the mic, jeers could be heard from the fringes.

And then a motorcycle gang started circling the square, some with Trump signs and Confederate flags. The Murfreesboro police eventually blocked off the roads, but the bikers came back on foot.

Eventually the protesters started chanting directly at each other. “No hate, no fear,” one side said, as the other interjected, “go Trump, go home”

Brandon Curran helped organize the counter-rally. The self-employed property manager says Trump’s backers need to speak up during this time of widespread resistance.

“They get a voice, we should too. That simple,” he says.

Curran says he feels like supporters of Trump’s immigration restrictions aren’t making noise because they’re afraid of being portrayed as bigots.

Brady Lutton of Murfreesboro says he would rather see the country spend money on helping homeless veterans rather than refugees, and he has concerns about the vetting process.

“That’s not racism at all,” he says. “We want to protect America. I don’t want to be going out and getting shot up — just be going to a sporting event or something like that. Every day it’s fearful. Movie theaters, it’s fearful. You don’t know when it’s coming.”

Lutton isn’t alone in his fear of refugees, even if some of it’s based on misinformation.

Tommy Winkles blames cable news. He works at Bridgestone’s tire factory nearby and came out to support his Muslim friends. He says his Christian faith teaches him to have no fear.

“I’m definitely in the minority here, and I don’t know that it’s so much that people by themselves would be so scared of it as what has been whipped up in the media.”

Several Muslims who rallied in Murfreesboro say they do feel like the community has embraced them.

Even Pat Dunn, the woman who teared up as Harleys drowned out the pro-refugee protesters, says she welcomes immigrants.

“Muslims live right down the street from me, and I don’t have a bit of problem with them. Not a bit,” she says.

Asked whether they might feel threatened by the antagonism of revving motorcycles, Dunn says she hopes not.

“Like I said, I pray for unification.”

There was one act of unity as the protesters in Murfreesboro reached a fever pitch. Both sides agreed to a moment of silence and shook hands, though some picked up the shouting match afterward.

Shouting match ends with both sides agreeing to a moment of silence.
pic.twitter.com/TkFVoJYFUY— Blake Farmer (@flakebarmer)
February 2, 2017