Two rallies were held in downtown Manhattan on Sunday, August 22. 2010
On one side. a demonstration opposing the proposed construction and development of an Islamic Cultural Center near the site of the World Trade Center that will include a mosque drew families of 9/11 victims. firefighters, construction workers and residents of the area.
On the other side of Park Place, supporters of the project gathered to defend religious freedoms, and rights. Muslims religious leaders,. civil rights defenders and local residents were present.
Several hundred people attended each rally on a rainy morning.
The messages they conveyed and the signs they carried showed the wide gap between the two sides of an issue that's become a national and international debate.
Here are some more pictures from both rallies.