Marquan Prete, left, and Anthony Hardy show solidarity with Muslim marchers as they move their mother out of her Grand Boulevard apartment to St. Louis County on Saturday, June 20, 2020. About 100 Muslims participated in the mosque-to-mosque rally in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, walking from Masjid Bilal to Masjid Al-Mu'minun through the Grand Center district. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
March organizers Marilyn Aleem-Shamikh, right, and Moji Sidiqi (center) chant for justice as they march with about 100 other Muslims in a mosque-to-mosque rally in support of the Black Lives Matter movement on Saturday, June 20, 2020. Protesters walked from Masjid Bilal to Masjid Al-Mu'minun through the Grand Center district along Grand Boulevard. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Alderman John Collins-Muhammad calls on marchers to get loud, reminiscent of 2014 chants in Ferguson after the police shooting of Mike Brown, as about 100 Muslims participated in a mosque-to-mosque rally in support of the Black Lives Matter movement on Saturday, June 20, 2020. Protesters walked from Masjid Bilal to Masjid Al-Mu'minun through the Grand Center district. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
The Arabic greeting of peace is sewn into the mask of Aathif Shamail of Ballwin as he marches with about 100 other Muslims in a mosque to mosque rally in support of the Black Lives Matter movement on Saturday, June 20, 2020. Protesters walked from Masjid Bilal to Masjid Al-Mu'minun through the Grand Center district along Grand Boulevard. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
ST. LOUIS — Muslim residents in the area gathered on Saturday to march from one mosque to another in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Between 75 and 100 people marched a mile and a half from Masjid Bilal, 3843 West Pine Street, to Masjid Al-Mu'minun, 1435 North Grand Boulevard.
The march was organized by the Muslims of Greater St. Louis. Marilyn Aleem-Shamikh, one of the march's organizers, said various Muslim communities were planning individual protests here and there, and the group wanted to bring them all together.Â
Muslims of Greater St. Louis wanted to highlight the issue of police brutality, Aleem-Shamikh said, and she hopes to see the Muslim community continue to unite around this cause and others, such as feeding the homeless here.
Asif Umar, imam of Daar-Ul-Islam mosque in Manchester, was one of the speakers featured before the march began. He talked about America living with a pandemic — not COVID-19, but one that started 400 years ago — "the pandemic of police brutality," Umar said. "And there's still no vaccine."Â
"We cannot give up this fight," he said.Â
Umar Lee, 45, is a fixture at St. Louis Black Lives Matter protests — when he's in town, anyway. Lee splits his time between St. Louis and a home in Texas. But Saturday's march took on special meaning for Lee, who's been a practicing Muslim since 1992.Â
"Muslims stand for justice — as our prophet Muhammad did," Lee said. "We stand in solidarity with Black lives."
Marissa Putnam, 27, and her sister, Teresa Adams, 53, both white, were out marching with the group. One of Putnam's friends helped organize the march. Both said they felt a push recently to educate themselves about racism.Â
"And I think just showing up shows support," Putnam said. "To be here, standing next to them, and listening."
Azfar Malik, 66, who's lived in St. Louis for nearly four decades, attended the march with his wife, Maheen, 62. They've also been to protests in west county in the past few weeks.
"It's important citizens be treated equally," Malik said. "Irrespective of their race, color or religion."Â
Charles Bryson, director of the St. Louis Civil Rights Enforcement Agency, joined the march on Saturday, which began around 11 a.m. St. Louis Police rode in front and behind the group, blocking traffic when necessary.Â
Bryson said he invited Adil Imdad to be on the agency's board to make sure the Muslim community was represented. It's important that this movement, Bryson said, brings all groups together around a common cause.Â
"It's not just about Black people by themselves," Bryson said. "But when you gather steam, you have to involve everybody. It makes the movement larger, and stronger, with everyone."Â
On Saturday, high temperatures exceeded 90 degrees. A protester and volunteer walked behind the group with a wheelbarrow full of water bottles. Most participants were wearing masks, but few were following social distancing.
Photos: Muslims march mosque-to-mosque for justice
Muslims march mosque-to-mosque through Grand Center

Marquan Prete, left, and Anthony Hardy show solidarity with Muslim marchers as they move their mother out of her Grand Boulevard apartment to St. Louis County on Saturday, June 20, 2020. About 100 Muslims participated in the mosque-to-mosque rally in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, walking from Masjid Bilal to Masjid Al-Mu'minun through the Grand Center district. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
Muslims march mosque-to-mosque through Grand Center

March organizers Marilyn Aleem-Shamikh, right, and Moji Sidiqi (center) chant for justice as they march with about 100 other Muslims in a mosque-to-mosque rally in support of the Black Lives Matter movement on Saturday, June 20, 2020. Protesters walked from Masjid Bilal to Masjid Al-Mu'minun through the Grand Center district along Grand Boulevard. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
Muslims march mosque-to-mosque through Grand Center

St. Louis Alderman John Collins-Muhammad calls on marchers to get loud, reminiscent of 2014 chants in Ferguson after the police shooting of Mike Brown, as about 100 Muslims participated in a mosque-to-mosque rally in support of the Black Lives Matter movement on Saturday, June 20, 2020. Protesters walked from Masjid Bilal to Masjid Al-Mu'minun through the Grand Center district. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
Muslims march mosque-to-mosque through Grand Center

About 100 Muslims joined a mosque-to-mosque march and rally in support of the Black Lives Matter movement on Saturday, June 20, 2020. Protesters walked from Masjid Bilal to Masjid Al-Mu'minun through the Grand Center district along Grand Boulevard. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
Muslims march mosque-to-mosque through Grand Center

The Arabic greeting of peace is sewn into the mask of Aathif Shamail of Ballwin as he marches with about 100 other Muslims in a mosque to mosque rally in support of the Black Lives Matter movement on Saturday, June 20, 2020. Protesters walked from Masjid Bilal to Masjid Al-Mu'minun through the Grand Center district along Grand Boulevard. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
Muslims march mosque-to-mosque through Grand Center

Though recently discharged from a one month stay in the hospital for COVID-19, Kevin Arrazzaaq uses a walker while marching with his family almost 1.5 miles during a mosque-to-mosque rally in support of the Black Lives Matter movement on Saturday, June 20, 2020. About 100 protesters walked from Masjid Bilal to Masjid Al-Mu'minun through the Grand Center district. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
Muslims march mosque-to-mosque through Grand Center

St. Louis Alderman John Collins-Muhammad calls on marchers to get loud as about 100 Muslims participated in a mosque-to-mosque rally in support of the Black Lives Matter movement on Saturday, June 20, 2020. Holding the bullhorns are organizers Anthony Shahid, left, and Moji Sidiqi. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
Muslims march mosque-to-mosque through Grand Center

Zhour Naim wears a hajib in the shape of an American flag as she walks with her sons through Grand Center, joining about 100 Muslims in a mosque-to-mosque rally in support of the Black Lives Matter movement on Saturday, June 20, 2020. Protesters walked from Masjid Bilal to Masjid Al-Mu'minun. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
Muslims march mosque-to-mosque through Grand Center

March organizer Umar Lee takes to the bullhorn as he calls for justice in chants with about 100 other Muslims in a mosque-to-mosque rally in support of the Black Lives Matter movement on Saturday, June 20, 2020. Protesters walked from Masjid Bilal to Masjid Al-Mu'minun through the Grand Center district. Lee's mask is inscribed with the Arabic greeting of peace. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
Muslims march mosque to mosque through Grand Center

Fatimah Abdur-Rashiid was among Muslims who marched mosque to mosque in support of the Black Lives Matter movement on Saturday, June 20, 2020. About 100 people marched from Masjid Bilal to Masjid Al-Mu'minun along Grand Boulevard. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com