A faith group’s day of advocacy continued for an 11th year at the Capitol, drawing a smaller crowd and less than a handful of demonstrators.
Before the 2025 Muslim Day at the Capitol began, demonstrators from out of state showed up outside the Capitol and attempted to speak with Oklahoma Muslims as they walked into the building to attend the Council on American-Islamic Relations-OK chapter event.
This included a man from Indiana who has sometimes been the lone demonstrator in recent years, along with Rich Penkoski and the Rev. David Grisham, both Texas residents who attempted to talk with several Muslims. A group of interfaith supporters was there, as well, to provide a “corridor of support” to welcome Muslims and counter demonstrators.
The two men, wearing T-shirts featuring a slur about the Islamic prophet Muhammad, gained entry into the conference room where the advocacy day presentations took place, but Veronica Laizure, CAIR-OK interim director, prevented them from staying because they had not registered in advance.
Imad Enchassi, senior imam of the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City, addressed the presence of the demonstrators during his welcome remarks and encouraged those in attendance to continue coming to the advocacy day event.
“We’re not stopping, we’re moving forward,” he said. “God willing, I will see you at the 12th annual Muslim Day at the Capitol.”
Laizure said the smaller than usual crowd attending the recent Muslim Day at the Capitol was due to the expected limited seating available at the 2025 event venue, a fourth-floor conference room.
Laizure said Sen. Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, reserved the fourth-floor conference space for CAIR-OK when the group’s leaders learned that other larger spaces like the rotunda areas were already reserved. About 20 people took part in the advocacy day presentations compared to more than 100 that have shown up when previous Muslim Day activities were held on the second-floor rotunda or large meeting spaces elsewhere at the Capitol.
Like Enchassi, Laizure said Muslim Day at the Capitol would return in 2026, despite any displeasure voiced by demonstrators.
“We do expect, most times that we will have some opposition,” she said.
“There are, unfortunately, still people in our state and outside of our state, who don’t like that Muslims are having a day at the Capitol, but that will never stop us from encouraging Muslims to participate in civic engagement and days of advocacy like this. If anything, I think it reminds our community why it’s so important that we have visible days of speaking up for our community and its values.”
Speakers for Muslim Day at the Capitol included Cindy Nguyen, policy director for ACLU Oklahoma; Whitney Cipolla, board president of Oklahomans for Equality; Tevin McDaniel and Aurelius Francisco, leaders with the Foundation for Liberating Minds; and Nicole Maldonado, advocacy manager for ACLU Oklahoma.
Attendee Dr. Amir Khaliq, of Oklahoma City, a former CAIR-OK board member, said demonstrators did not deter him from attending advocacy day events at the Capitol.
“I just smile and engage with them,” he said. “They believe what they believe.”