Blindfold Muslim Man Asks Mourners Of Paris Attacks To Hug Him… And They Do

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2UcAlfJgUU

In the wake of last week’s terror attacks in Paris, one man decided to take a stand and show the world that not all Muslims are terrorists.

At one of the chief mourning sites in Paris – The Place de la Republique – an unidentified Muslim man stood blindfolded holding a sign that read, “I’m a Muslim and I’m told I’m a terrorist. I trust you. Do you trust me? If yes, hug me!” Parisians, still in mourning, tearfully surrounded the man, offering him numerous hugs in response to his sign. Many can be seen smiling in the video.

Last week’s attack, which the terrorist group ISIS claimed to be responsible for, took the lives of 130 victims and left over 350 wounded, many still in critical condition. At a time of such grief, the hugs offered by the blindfolded man were exactly what the people of Paris, and the world, needed.

The Incredibly Moving Way A Muslim Man Showed That Love Wins Over Hate https://t.co/RNqSbbll0k pic.twitter.com/FE1S3DQAla

— MTV News (@MTVNews) November 19, 2015

This French Muslim sought out to try to make the world a little bit kinder and understanding, one hug at a time. https://t.co/n7HyHwz6Yu — Cassandra Fairbanks (@CassandraRules) November 18, 2015

After receiving hugs from dozens of mourners, the man removed his blindfold. He shared that he was doing this to make a statement.

“I did this to send a message to everyone. I am a Muslim, but that doesn’t make me a terrorist. I never killed anybody.” He also told the crowd that last Friday, the day of the attacks, was his birthday.

“I deeply feel for all the victims’ families. I want to tell you that ‘Muslim’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘terrorist.’ A terrorist is a terrorist, someone willing to kill another human being over nothing. A Muslim would never do that. Our religion forbids it.”

The video, which has gone viral, has over 1.3 million views on In The Now.