Islamic Resource Group Leader to Sikhs: 'We Stand With You'

Among more than 500 people at the Sikh Society of Minnesota's candlelight vigil Friday for , according to a KSTP-TV report, was Zafar Siddiqui, president of the Islamic Resource Group, an organization based in Fridley.

Siddiqui, who also serves as chairperson of the board at , an Islamic K-12 school in Fridley, told KSTP (see video):

To the Sikh community, I say that we stand with you, and we share your grief, and we are all in this together as Americans.

Attendance at the vigil surpassed predictions that 300–400 would turn out, as reported by KSTP on Thursday, with people from churches, synogogues, mosques and Hindu temples. Police were planning to step up patrols during the vigil but not be inside the temple, KSTP said.

Until last year, the Sikh Society of Minnesota called , and the with tenative plans for developing it.

the day after Sunday's shooting at an Oak Creek, WI temple that Sikhs in Minnesota were in a state of confusion over the tragic events.