----UPDATE----

TEMECULA – Opponents and supporters of a planned mosque in Temecula held largely peaceful demonstrations today, with police standing by in case of trouble.

About a dozen people opposed to the Islamic Center of Temecula Valley’s proposal to construct a 24,943-square-foot mosque at Calle Medusa and Nicolas Road assembled across the street from the center’s current meeting place on Rio Nedo Avenue.

The protesters held up signs critical of Islam and occasionally used bullhorns to shout at the 50 or so people holding a counter-rally in support of the mosque.

"I just don’t believe in their beliefs," Cynthia Daum, a mosque opponent, told ABC7.

"They destroy the community. They destroy the country," Mano Bakh, another opponent, told the station.

Mosque supporters sat and stood under a canopy in front of the Islamic center, a few holding signs of their own.

"I just don’t think it’s right that because you don’t believe the same way to block someone’s ability to worship," supporter Anna Mae said.

There were no reports of violence.

Several plainclothes Riverside County sheriff’s deputies were on hand to keep the peace.

The Temecula Planning Commission was scheduled to consider the mosque proposal at its Aug. 18 meeting, but the hearing has been put off, apparently to give officials time to analyze the potential impact of noise and traffic the mosque might have on the surrounding area.

----PREVIOUS STORY----

Reaction surfaces against rally to oppose Temecula mosque

By Tim O'Leary

Managing editor

A sharp backlash – including complaints from Christian and Islamic groups – has surfaced over plans to rally against a proposed new mosque in Temecula.

On Tuesday, representatives of a Southern California Islamic organization and a Sacramento-based Christian group separately criticized a rally that a loose-knit group of political activist recently announced it was planning.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations called on local officials and interfaith leaders to show support for the Islamic Center of Temecula Valley, which is the target of the Friday afternoon rally.

"Californians of all faiths should repudiate those who would target a house of worship using tactics specifically designed to cause offense," said Hussam Ayloush, executive director of CAIR.

The group issued its statement after a representative contacted a Valley News reporter over a story last week that publicized the anticipated rally. A similar story was published by The Californian newspaper, which is printed in Escondido.

The Los Angeles Times and Associated Press have also done stories on the controversy surrounding the center’s plan to build a 24,943-square-foot mosque along Nicolas Road in Temecula’s northeast corner.

After being delayed once, Temecula planning commissioners were subsequently expected to consider the mosque plan on Aug. 18. But that hearing has been postponed pending the completion of a traffic analysis, Patrick Advertisement

[ Chatton and Associates ] Richardson, Temecula’s planning and redevelopment director, said in a Wednesday morning press release.

"While city traffic engineering staff continues to believe that the existing roadway network can handle the additional traffic to be generated by the mosque, the receipt of numerous public comments involving traffic concerns has prompted the city to request that the applicant consider having an independent traffic analysis prepared for the project," Richardson said in the release.

He said the city will select a traffic consultant and oversee the work, but the Islamic Center will pay the cost of the analysis. Richardson said he expects that analysis to postpone the commission’s review of the mosque plan until mid-November.

The rally was announced more than a week ago by members of a loose-knit southwest Riverside County political group that has ties to the Tea Party movement. Organizers of the rally asked their supporters in an e-newsletter to bring their Bibles, flags, signs and dogs, which they said are considered offensive to Muslims.

Other strong feelings have emerged since published reports began to appear about the mosque proposal.

An anonymous telephone message left at the Valley News on July 23 suggested that a reporter "tell the City Council to back off on this (mosque proposal) as much as possible." The caller indicated there could be "some major problems if they keep pursuing this mosque in Temecula."

On Tuesday, a representative of the California Council of Churches sent an e-mail to the Valley News that denounced the proposed rally, which is planned at 12:30 p.m. Friday at the Islamic Center’s current facility in an industrial park west of Murrieta Creek

The council’s Internet site describes the Sacramento-based group as "a prophetic witness to the Christian gospel for 4,000 congregations throughout California." It lists hunger, homelessness, health care, violence, civil rights, economic justice and religious liberty as its "issues of concern."

"We at California Council of Churches have learned that some deeply angry Tea Party people intend to bring dogs to the Temecula mosque during Friday prayers to intimidate Muslims and ‘show them’ they are not wanted," council representative Elizabeth Sholes wrote in her e-mail.

"This is NOT the act of Christians or Americans," she continued. "The deep misinformation being spread about Islam is in itself disturbing, but the idea that people can willfully try to cause fear and intimidation against their own neighbors is disgusting. It is a complete repudiation of our nation’s long and distinguished history of welcoming people of all kinds. It is the worst form of hate and bullying and entirely inconsistent with American values. We call on all people of good will in the Temecula area to repudiate these acts now."