DALLAS – The Rev. Dr. Neil Cazares-Thomas had a wedding to perform on Saturday, but before he joined the happy couple, he tried uniting a divided North Texas. 

“It’s the only place you can possibly be today,” the United Church of Christ minister said as he walked with a group of about 200 people in the United Against Hate rally. “It’s really important that we’re modeling what it means to be a person of faith.”

Participants congregated under blustery skies outside Dallas Fair Park before walking about 15 minutes to the Martin  Luther King Jr.  Community Center, where they listened to speakers invoke peace. 

The rally came on the heels of a demonstration two weeks ago where armed members of an anti-Islamic group carried rifles outside the Islamic Center of Irving. 

Local media on Saturday reported that the Bureau on American-Islamic Relations — an anti-Muslim group — gathered near the Islamic Association of North Texas, across the Metroplex in Richardson.

But in South Dallas, the message and mutual acceptance, not dissent. 

Richardson Police Department spokesman Sgt. Kevin Perlich said officers made an arrest at the protest there.

“One protester was observed by an officer with the handle of a handgun sticking out from one of his pockets,” Perlich wrote in an email. “That person was pulled aside and arrested without incident after officers confirmed that he was armed with a handgun and did not have a concealed handgun license.”  

Perlich said Kyle Korywchak, 22, of Fort Worth, was charged with unauthorized carrying of a handgun. 

There were no reports of arrests or violence at the event in Dallas. 

Stacy Samuel, 32, a research physician at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, said she attended the rally to support Islam in Dallas because: “I stand up for all rights.”

“When you have someone like Trump on national television say we’re not going to adhere to freedom of religion, that’s un-American,” she said as she walked to the rally gathering point.

Samuel, who is a Muslim, said a man recently called her a terrorist in a local Starbucks. 

Another patron rose to defend her. 

“It does not bother me any more,” she said. “We’re beginning to fight the fear mongering.”

Spencer Dawkins, 61, wore a T-shirt that pretty much summed up his stance: “We believe in the separation of church and hate.”

Dawkins, who attends Northhaven United Methodist Church in Dallas, said he became active about eight years ago on behalf of gay rights.

“I see a constant amount of hatred in the world,” said Dawkins, who was with his wife and other members of his church, which helped sponsor the event. “I think I’m protesting the same stuff here I was protesting eight years ago with gay rights.”

Regina Hunt, 67, doesn’t have Dawkins’ activist history, but she was right behind him as the crowd walked to the MLK center. 

“I am tired of myself sitting in a chair, bemoaning all of it and doing nothing,” said the former IT trainer, referring to hostility and violence toward Muslims, and calls to exclude Syrian refugees that followed the November attacks in Paris. “It was time to take action. It needs to stop.”

A few step ahead of her, Waseem Nasrallah, 53, was carrying a sign with “peace” written in colorful letters.

A Plano resident who came to the United States from Palestine 35 years ago, Nasrallah said he wanted to show solidarity with “all the lovely people.”

“We can all co-exist and be buddies,” said Nasrallah, an IT manager who is Muslim. “That’s what makes America great. I saw that all these non-Muslims are coming out. I had to come.”

As participants coalesced at the MLK center and speakers took the microphone, a drizzle turned to rain. 

“We are gathered together to stand against hate,” said the Rev. Michael Waters of Joy Tabernacle. “We will stand together ’til justice flows like the waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

The Rev. Eric Folkerth had last words. 

“Are you a little less afraid?” he asked the crowd members, who said “Yes.”

“That’s what we’re hoping for,” Folkerson said.

John Austin covers the Texas Statehouse for CNHI’s newspapers and websites. Reach him at jaustin@cnhi.com.