Shaun King’s Invite to Minnesota Ramadan Event Yanked Over Community ‘Concerns’

Shaun King is going to have to find somewhere else to enjoy his iftar on Sunday. Originally booked to keynote a Minneapolis fundraising dinner that evening, his invitation has since been rescinded by a local branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in response to community backlash.

King, a controversial activist with a history of overpromising on multiple projects, has drawn raised eyebrows in recent weeks for converting to Islam at the start of Ramadan. Though King insisted that he and his wife had converted “in solidarity” with Palestinians in Gaza amid Israel’s war against Hamas, critics accused him of taking shahada as a grift—particularly as he announced a multi-city speaking tour less than a day later, complete with $1,000 VIP tickets.

On Thursday morning, the Minnesota chapter of CAIR announced that it had engaged the “Civil Rights Icon” King as keynote speaker to its annual Ramadan fundraiser this weekend. “Known for his passionate advocacy and having been deplatformed from social media sites like Instagram for his efforts to speak up for Gaza, his address promises to be a highlight of an unforgettable evening,” the organization said in an email to supporters.

Read more at The Daily Beast.