A group called Muslims for Peace, which supports moving the mosque near Ground Zero, will unveil a billboard in Times Square today that promotes a message of tolerance in Islam.
The video ad, on a 520-square-foot CBS billboard at 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue, reads “Muslims for love, loyalty and peace; 1-800-WHY-ISLAM” and features images of a heart,
an American flag and a dove. The video will run every hour on the hour daily through Jan. 17.
“The message of Islam is being hijacked by extremists,” said Waseem Sayed, spokesman for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA, a self-described “moderate” branch of Islam. “People who commit violence get all the publicity in the world; it’s a much harder task for those of us who believe that Islam’s message is a peaceful one.”
Sayed said his group supports moving the highly controversial mosque and Islamic center proposed near Ground Zero.
