Muslims complain it is RACIST to tow their cars for being parked illegally outside Maine mosque… as nearby business blares national anthem and What Does the Fox Say? during services
A mosque in Maine has suggested it is the victim of a racist campaign after its worshippers’ illegally-parked cars were ticketed and towed away.
The Masjidu Salaam Mosque in Lewiston blasted both the town’s police department and its neighbor Mid Valley Motors/Leonard Heavy Duty Towing Company over recent incidents during its religious services.
A spokesperson told the Lewiston Sun-Journal: ‘The Lewiston Police Department conducted numerous unnecessary and targeted parking enforcement sweeps near the mosque on Friday, ignoring their responsibility to keep the community safe to instead focus on a right-wing grievance.’
But locals and businesses have hit back at the ‘right-wing grievance’ claim, saying it is unfair for mosque worshippers to clog the parking lots of three local businesses illegally and expect to get away without a ticket.
Mid Valley Motors, a local butcher and a separate Italian bakery have all recently ticketed worshippers’ cars for using their lots without buying anything.
Many of the tickets issued were to cars that obstructed or blocked driveways. The mosque is open from before dawn until 11pm every day, with Fridays the busiest day for services.
Matthew Theriault, who is the general manager of Mid Valley Motors and sister business Leonard Heavy Duty Towing, was unrepentant and said: ‘If you park illegally, you will be towed.
‘We just want to go about running our businesses.
An angry Muslim woman gives the finger after her car was towed in Lewiston, Maine, amid an ongoing battle over parking outside a local mosque
A blue Toyota is seen being towed away. Business owner Matthew Theriault has denied claims his behavior is racist and insists he tows anyone who parks illegally
‘There’s no racial or religious thing to this — a red Honda Civic is a red Honda Civic.’
Theriault denied deliberately targeting Muslims, saying he had recently towed a US Census Bureau worker for parking illegally.
He has also come under fire after his business started blaring songs out of speakers during Muslim worship.
Among the songs blasted out at high volume were the Star-Spangled Banner, Who Let The Dogs Out, I’m a Little Teapot and What Does the Fox Say?
Muslim worshippers have suggested the ‘dogs’ in the song title was a racist reference to them, a claim denied by Theriault.
Mid Valley Motors even played What Does the Fox Say? on a 10 hour loop on April 3, with its Facebook page encouraging locals to stop by for a ‘dance party.’
A week later, on April 10, it blasted out the Star-Spangled banner. Theriault has used his business’s Facebook page to document the parking crisis and shared a photo of a woman in a hijab giving the finger after her car was towed.
Police did respond to the music-related noise complaints and spoke to the towing company about it, but worshippers allege the music continued after officers left.
The Masjidu Salaam Mosque is open from before dawn until 11pm every day and has recently been granted permission to double the size of its parking lot
Police are seen during one towing incident in Lewiston. They have been accused of kotowing to ‘right-wing grievances’ by local Muslims
Mid Valley Motors has come under fire for blaring songs out of speakers during Muslim worship. Among the songs blasted out at high volume were the Star-Spangled Banner, Who Let The Dogs Out, I’m a Little Teapot and What Does the Fox Say?
Last month, the mosque was granted planning permission to double the size of its parking lot.
Responding to complaints about the music on Facebook, Theriault wrote: ‘Not sure what kind of world we live in where my daughter dancing in our shop driveway to children’s songs is considered hate. We also played the national anthem at 12 sharp, god bless America and many other songs ours (sic) sons and fathers have died standing for.
‘If pride in our country is now considered hate speech i’d suggest you pack your sh*t and get out cause we aren’t goin anywhere.’
The Daily Mail has contacted the Masjidu Salaam Mosque, Mid Valley Motors and the Lewiston Police Department for further comment.
