CAIRO – Dozens of Texans gathered at Houston Islamic Da’wah Center to show support to the local Muslim community and counter a hate rally against the recently inaugurated privately-funded Islamic library.

“There are people here who are willing to say Muslim lives matter, and we love our Muslim neighbors,” Rachel Schneider-Vlachos, a doctoral student in religion at Rice University, told Houston Chronicle.

She added that it was important to show the Muslim community that people in Houston are willing to stand with them.

Schneider-Vlachos is one of more than 50 people who appeared outside Houston Islamic Da’wah Center Saturday.

The gathering was called to counter a hate protest called by a group calling themselves Heart of Texas to protest what they consider “Islamization” of Texas.

Only 10 show up to demonstrate against Islamic center as the group encouraged followers to bring legal firearms.

“This is America. We have the right to speak out and protest,” said Ken Reed, who wore a T-shirt emblazoned with the phrase “White Lives Matter.”

“We feel Texas, our great state and the United States is being threatened by the influx of Islam.”

Andrew Gomez was one of the few who came to the rally armed with his AR-15 rifle hanging from a shoulder strap.

“I’m just exercising my right to carry. I’m not threatening. I’m just taking my own precautions,” Gomez said.

Countering Hate

A lawyer representing the Islamic center said they would not organize any kind of counter-protest.

“It would have given the hate group exactly what they wanted, which was a bigger audience and a bigger platform, and endangered people,” said Faisal Shah, attorney for the center at 201 Travis St.

Houston police kept the opposing groups on opposite sides of the street.

A person thought to be sympathetic to the counter-protesters turned on a bubble machine that sent hundreds of shimmering, soapy bubbles cascading on the anti-Islamic Center group.

“I try to show solidarity with any kind of movement that opposes fascism and racism,” Ome Mikiztli, who covered his face with a bandana, said.

The Rev. Hannah Adair Bonner, a Methodist minister, said she wasn’t surprised that many more people showed up to support the Islamic Center than oppose it.

“We are a diverse city, ethnically and religiously. The voices of hate and exclusion are being drowned out,” she said.