indica News Bureau-
When we stand with absolute integrity, we will shine through even the darkest clouds.
That’s exactly what happened during protests on Thursday night over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
A building housing an Indian cuisine restaurant was set ablaze by the protestors. Run by a Bangladeshi family, the restaurant caught fire as it is located near the Third Precinct headquarters of the Minneapolis Police Department, where the protest was taking place.
What was interesting was that, in response to the incident, the owners of the restaurant, posted a heartwarming message on their Facebook page that won over the internet and has literally gone viral.
This was the powerful statement that was written by the owner Ruhel Islam’s 18-year-old daughter Hafsa.
“Hello everyone! Thank you to everyone for checking in. Sadly, Gandhi Mahal has caught fire and has been damaged. We won’t lose hope though, I am so grateful for our neighbors who did their best to stand guard and protect Gandhi Mahal,” the post read.
“Your efforts won’t go unrecognized. Don’t worry about us, we will rebuild and we will recover. This is Hafsa, Ruhel’s daughter writing, as I am sitting next to my dad watching the news, I hear him say on the phone ‘let my building burn, Justice needs to be served, put those officers in jail’. Gandhi Mahal may have felt the flames last night, but our fiery drive to help protect and stand with our community will never die! Peace be with everyone,” the post further read.
Often, our true strength and sincerity are revealed only in the darkest moments, and the owners of the Gandhi Mahal have shown where they stand even when they are at a loss.
With over 27,000 shares, the post has touched millions of hearts online, spreading across social media platforms from Twitter to Instagram.
Hafza, who is 18-year-old and has been an immigrant from Bangladesh, has always been a supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement. The family is known in the locality for its community service. The eatery is reportedly a hub of inter-faith interactions that promote sustainable living to fight climate change, supports farmers and budding artists.
The family has opened a GoFundMe page to help them recover from the loss. They thanked people for their generous donations and added, “If you donate here, we will also use the funds to make food to support others in our community during this challenging time. We are looking into a temporary kitchen so that we can continue to provide takeout food.”
The protest over the death of Floyd by the white police, who used a knee chokehold, has been aggressive, and he was arrested on Friday.
