The Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-FL) has condemned the presence of neo-Nazis and anti-Muslim protesters who targeted a public meeting at the Dr. Andre Fladell South County Civic Center in Delray Beach.
The gathering, organized to discuss agricultural reserve development in Palm Beach County, erupted into hostile anti-Muslim demonstrations following online misinformation alleging the meeting was called to approve a local Islamic center and school. Tensions escalated when individuals reportedly displaying neo-Nazi imagery joined the protest.
One observer of the anti-Muslim protest wrote: "An individual with a well-documented history of antisemitic and anti-Muslim rhetoric, white-supremacist advocacy and promotion of far-right Christian nationalism held his own mini-rally and what amounted to an impromptu press conference. What disturbed me most was watching people from different religious, ethnic and political backgrounds cheer him on. Perhaps some did not know his history, but some certainly did."
In a statement, CAIR-Florida Communications Director Wilfredo Ruiz said: "We unequivocally condemn the display of anti-Muslim bigotry and neo-Nazi intimidation that targeted community members in Delray Beach. It is deeply troubling to see bad-faith actors weaponize public forums to spread Islamophobia, incite division, and intimidate local Muslim families."
Ruiz added: "We call on Palm Beach County elected officials and law enforcement agencies to take a firm, public stance against hate speech, protect religious minorities, and ensure that public municipal meetings remain safe and welcoming environments for all residents regardless of their faith."
CAIR-FL noted that false narratives posted on social media fueled the hostility. County officials confirmed the agenda focused solely on broad zoning and environmental discussions regarding the Agricultural Reserve, rather than the approval of any specific religious construction project.
CAIR's latest civil rights report documented 8,683 anti-Muslim bias complaints in 2025, the highest number ever recorded since it began publishing such reports in 1996. CAIR also said it has documented 17 incidents targeting Islamic places of worship in May, June, and July to date, a 183 percent increase over the same three-month period last year.