As a media hailstorm descended upon Gainesville to cover the planned actions of the Dove World Outreach Center over the past few days, Saturday’s Quran burning seesawed Thursday from going on as planned, to cancellation and ultimately to suspension.
Major media outlets were reporting Thursday night that the church was going to wait 24 hours before making a decision about the Quran burning.
According to reports, Associate Pastor Wayne Sapp said the church was waiting to confirm a meeting in New York City between Terry Jones, pastor of the church, and Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the Muslim leader heading the plans to build an Islamic cultural center near ground zero.
The event had been canceled Thursday afternoon, with Jones announcing he had been assured by Rauf that the Islamic center would be moved farther away from ground zero.
The announcement was soon after refuted by Rauf and Imam Muhammad Musri, president of the Islamic Society of Central Florida, after which Jones publicly stated he was lied to and was reconsidering the burning.
With uncertainty looming, law enforcement officials have not changed plans for increased security.
“As it stands right now, we are still operating as normal,” said Gainesville Police Department spokeswoman Cpl. Tscharna Senn on Thursday evening.
GPD Staff Specialist Sharon Wooding said the department has been working for weeks to prepare a security plan.
“Preparations have been under way for more than a month with numerous state and federal agencies in collaboration to ensure the safety of citizens of Alachua County,” she said.
Some of those precautions include setting up a driver’s license checkpoint on 37th Street from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. near the church for northbound traffic and having an increased police presence at the church and at the football game.
The university posted a message on its website Wednesday evening assuring students and parents that there have been no threats against the university.
Steve McClain, a spokesman for the University Athletic Association, reiterated the university’s message and said the university’s plans for heightened security have not changed.
As for students attending Saturday’s game against the University of South Florida Bulls, he said students should try to arrive early, pay attention to their surroundings and report any suspicious activity.
As psychology sophomore Allie McDaniel stood in line to pick up her ticket to the game Thursday just before the ticket office closed, she was somewhat worried but resilient.
“I’m not going to let this crazy guy ruin my good time.”
