'We gotta call out racism': Milwaukee Muslim students lead march against police violence

Last spring, Milwaukee teenagers Dana Sharqawi and Sumaya Abdi organized protests after mass shootings at mosques in New Zealand. 

On Wednesday, they brought people together again at the Islamic Society of Milwaukee — this time to remember George Floyd and to protest police violence. They said they were guided by their Muslim faith. 

"Our religion tells us that if one part of your body’s in pain, then the whole body’s in pain," said Abdi, now 19 and a student at UW-Madison. "So if our black brothers and sisters are in pain, we’re in pain, too."

They drew over 300 supporters young and old, including several who said it was their first experience at a protest.

"I just want to say I’m so proud of each and every person that has come here today on this hot, humid, sunny day," Abdi told the crowd. "That means you have a conscience and you know what’s going on in our system."

Before the march, the group held silent for Floyd for 8 minutes and 46 seconds: the amount of time Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin had his knee on Floyd's neck. 

"We’re here to use our voice for people who couldn’t use theirs," Sharqawi said. "Our religion centers around the belief that we are all created equal in the eyes of God. So today we’re here to prove that: that we’re all equal, we’re one community." 

On their three-mile walk in 80-degree sunny heat, the crowd met some resistance. One person yelled from a lawn chair, "Because of you we have curfew.” But most spectators showed support. 

Workers from McDonald's gave out cups of water and held open trash bags. At KFC, employees came out and cheered ecstatically for the group. A UPS driver gave a long honk and rose his fist in the air. A bicyclist passed out water from his back rack. 

Sana Hamdan was there on her 22nd birthday. 

"I came out here to support the voices of our black brothers and sisters here in America," she said. "They’ve been silenced, they haven’t been heard, and really the murder of George Floyd was the tip of the iceberg. It’s really important for us to come out and show them our unconditional support." 

Another marcher, 18-year-old Wajahat Ali Shah, said he was scared to attend the march but an hour beforehand, he noticed some of his friends making racist comments and he decided to go. 

“We gotta call out racism in our communities and do something about it," Ali Shah said. "This is why I came to this protest. This is why I scream my lungs out. This is why I support Black Lives Matter." 

He invited his friend, Syed Shah, to come with him. Shah said he came because he wants to do as much as he can to help his black friends. 

"Our whole entire judicial system is based off punishing people," Shah said. "It's literally based off slavery. When they were writing the Constitution saying all men are equal, they didn’t include black men, they didn’t include women, they said all white rich men were equal."

Lily Nikolic and Tenley Dugan, both 15, said they came because, as white students, they are learning how to use their privilege and bring awareness to racism in their communities. 

"I know a lot of people from the suburbs who aren’t really understanding what’s going on and I feel like it’s important for everybody to just get out there and try and do what they can," said Dugan, a student at Rufus King International High School. 

The march began at 2 p.m. and ended at 4 p.m. after speeches by older leaders with the Islamic Society of Milwaukee and Interfaith Conference Of Greater Milwaukee. 

Will Perry, director of the Dawah Islamic Center, recalled how he marched as a 10-year-old with Father James Groppi over the 16th Street Viaduct in 1967 as part of the Milwaukee Fair Housing Marches. Though he didn't know exactly what they were protesting at the time, he knew it was important to be there.  

“May Allah bless you for having the courage to stand up for something," Perry said. "You may not realize the significance of it and how it’s going to impact folks later." 

The group ended with a prayer, each person in the crowd on a bent knee, facing north. 

“There is hope, when our young people stand up and say enough is enough,” said Imam Noman Hussain of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee.

Several faith leaders expressed gratitude for the young people. 

"As a Christian, I’m trained to always look, even in the darkest times of tragedy, for any evidence of hope. I see a lot of it right here. You are hope," said the Rev. Lisa Bates-Froiland of Redeemer Lutheran.  

"I’ll follow you. I’ll stand next to you. I’ll march with you. Keep leading."

Rory Linnane reports on public health and works to make information accessible so readers can improve their lives and hold officials accountable. Contact Rory at (414) 801-1525 or rory.linnane@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @RoryLinnane.