This Woman Took A Selfie With Anti-Muslim Protesters And The Internet Went Berserk
Zakia Belkiri told BuzzFeed News she was completely overwhelmed by the attention the pictures received.
Last weekend, protesters from the right-wing Flemish party Vlaams Belang parked themselves outside the Muslim Lifestyle Expo event in Antwerp, which features discussion, stalls, performances, and workshops.
Jurgen Augusteyns / Via jurgenaugusteyns.com
They held signs that said “Stop Islam” and "No headscarf". The protesters also tried to hand out pork sausages to Muslims passing by.
Jurgen Augusteyns / Via jurgenaugusteyns.com
So 22-year-old Zakia Belkhiri and other Muslims decided to take selfies with them. Belkhiri told BuzzFeed News she took the pictures to show that "we can live together, not [just] next to each other, but with each other".
Jurgen Augusteyns / Via jurgenaugusteyns.com
Her images went hugely viral. They were shared thousands of times across social media and republished by dozens of news sites, most of which hadn't spoken to Belkhiri.