Muslim, Christian and Jewish community leaders held a press conference Wednesday in front of the state Republican Party headquarters in Oklahoma City.
The speakers condemned comments by state Rep. John Bennett (R-Sallisaw), who earlier this week called Muslims "a cancer in our nation that needs to be cut out."
Oklahoma City University professor of Islamic Studies and Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City Imam Imad Enchassisays he personally called the FBI for protection, and warned the secretary of an area Islamic school.
"She proceeded by raising our security level to high, instructing all our children today not to play outside," Enchassi said. "There are no Muslim children in the Muslim schools in the state of Oklahoma who are playing outside today."
An attorney told reporters Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman David Weston refused comment, instead issuing a statement that his office was concerned about the upcoming election.
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