Texas Governor Ted Abbott has announced a ban on Sharia laws and the creation of Sharia-compliant cities or towns across the state.
The governor made the declaration on Monday via his official X account after a viral video surfaced showing protesters carrying placards in support of Sharia law.
“I signed laws that BAN Sharia Law and Sharia Compounds in Texas,” Abbott wrote. “No business and no individual should fear fools like this. If this person, or ANYONE, attempts to impose Sharia compliance, report it to local law enforcement or the Texas Dept. of Public Safety.”
The viral clip shows a Houston-area Islamic cleric addressing a crowd with a megaphone, urging shopkeepers to stop selling alcohol, pork, and lottery tickets, claiming the practices violated Islamic tenets.
“People should not violate the religion of Islam by selling products that are against our religion. Because we should love what Allah loves and hate what Allah hates. We will be visiting all the stores in the neighborhood where the religion of Islam is ignored,” the cleric said in the footage.
Governor Abbott’s move comes amid heightened debates over religious influence on public policy in Texas, with his administration stressing that state laws must remain uniform and secular.