FLORENCE — The announcement that a mosque is being planned near Mall Road in Florence has drawn a strong reaction from some in the community. Florence city officials say they have gotten several calls about the proposed worship center and a flier is being distributed in the city’s neighborhoods.
There is also a website run by a Boone County resident that posts anti-Islamic messages and encourages people to “Stop the Mosque“.
The flier encourages residents to take action to halt construction of the facility. “Cayton Road is in your neighborhood,” the flier states. “Everyone needs to contact Florence City Council to have this stopped. Americans need to stop the takeover of our country.”
Joseph Dabdoub, a spokesman for the center, said he is troubled by the reaction. “The flier was very disappointing,” Dabdoub said. “These are average, hard-working people from the community, looking for a place to worship.”