Demonstrators against Islamic law, right, engage with demonstrators opposing their views, left, in New York Saturday, June 10, 2017. In more than two dozen cities across the United States, the group organizing... (Associated Press) 
 
 SEATTLE (AP) — Small but raucous demonstrations across the country Saturday targeted the notion that extremist interpretations of Islamic law might somehow infect American democracy, but many of the rallies drew even more boisterous counter-protests by people who called such fears an unfounded distortion of Islam. 
 
 Hundreds of counter-protesters marched through downtown Seattle, banging drums, cymbals and cowbells behind a large sign saying "Seattle stands with our Muslim neighbors." Participants chanted "No hate, no fear, Muslims are welcome here" on their way to City Hall, while a phalanx of bicycle police officers separated them from an anti-Shariah rally numbering in the dozens. 
 
 In front of the Trump building in downtown Chicago, about 30 people demonstrated against Islamic law and in favor of President Donald Trump, shouting slogans and holding signs that read "Ban Sharia" and "Sharia abuses women." About twice as many counter-protesters marshaled across the street. 
 
 A similar scene played out in a park near a New York courthouse, where counter-protesters sounded air-horns and banged pots and pans in an effort to silence an anti-Shariah rally. In St. Paul, Minnesota, state troopers arrested about a half-dozen people when scuffles broke out at the close of competing demonstrations at the state Capitol. 
 
 "The theme of today is drowning out racism," said New York counter-protester Tony Murphy, standing next to demonstrators with colorful earplugs. "The more racists get a platform, the more people get attacked." 
 
 The rallies, held in more than two dozen U.S. cities, were organized by ACT for America, which claims Islamic law is incompatible with Western democracy. 
 
 The organization said it opposes discrimination and supports the rights of those subject to Shariah. However, the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups, calls it the largest American anti-Muslim group. 
 
 "I don't believe Islam can peacefully co-exist with the Constitution," said Seattle anti-Shariah demonstrator Aaron Bassford, 29. "We need unity in this country under no ideology and no banner except the Constitution of the United States of America." 
 
 But the overwhelming majority of Muslims don't want to replace U.S. law with Islamic law, known as Shariah, and only "radical extremist groups" would call for that, said Liyakat Takim, a professor of Islamic studies at McMaster University in the Canadian city of Hamilton, Ontario. 
 
 Shariah, Takim said, refers to guidelines or principles — how Muslims should live. "Fiqh" refers to jurisprudence, or specific laws. The values embedded in Shariah do not change and are shared among Muslims, he said, while fiqh is open to interpretation and change, and in fact differs among Islamic sects and communities. 
 
 "The Quran allows slavery. So does the Old Testament. That doesn't mean we allow it today, too," Takim said. "Laws are amenable to change." 
 
 In Seattle, activists set up an "Ask an American Muslim" booth to give rally participants on either side a chance to speak with a Muslim. 
 
 "American Muslims support the American values and freedoms we all cherish," said Arsalan Bukhari, executive director of the state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. 
 
 The marches come amid a rise in reports of anti-Muslim incidents in the U.S., including arson attacks and vandalism at mosques, harassment of women wearing Muslim head coverings and bullying of Muslim schoolchildren. 
 
 In California, small but raucous demonstrations were held in a handful of cities, including San Bernardino, where a husband and wife inspired by the Islamic State group killed 14 people and wounded 22 in a 2015 shooting attack. 
 
 Clusters of protesters and counter-protesters gathered on four corners of an intersection at a memorial to the slain, yelling and waving American flags and posters proclaiming various causes. Anti-Islamic law demonstrators marched past the building where the shootings occurred. 
 
 "There's an anti-Trump, a pro-Trump, anti-extremists, so there are a variety of messages here," San Bernardino police spokeswoman Eileen Hards said. "There are so many messages going on that I'm not sure who's who." 
 
 Anti-Islamic law protester Denise Zamora, 39, said she and others in her group were not opposed to all Muslims. 
 
 "We're anti-Shariah. We're anti-radicals," the Upland woman said. She added, of Shariah: "It's coming in very slowly, and a lot of the refugees are bringing that ideology here. All of it is just barbaric." 
 
 About 300 people attended San Bernardino's rallies. Three were arrested on suspicion of vandalism for smashing windows of two cars, Hards said. 
 
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 Associated Press writers Andrew Selsky in Portland, Oregon; Deniz Cam in New York; Jeff Karoub in Detroit; Kimberlee Kruesi in Boise, Idaho; Robert Jablon in Los Angeles; Dave Kolpack in Fargo, North Dakota; and Michael Tarm in Chicago contributed to this report. 

 Counter demonstrators opposing a group who gathered nearby to protest against Islamic-law yell out Saturday, June 10, 2017, in New York. In more than two dozen cities across the United States, the group... (Associated Press) 
 
 SEATTLE (AP) — The Latest on marches against Islamic law being held in U.S. cities (all times local): 
 
 2:30 p.m. 
 
 Seattle police used tear gas to disperse rowdy demonstrators and made several arrests following an anti-Shariah rally and a much larger counter-protest. 
 
 The department said it was still reviewing how many people were arrested and what charges they might face, but at least some were expected to be booked for investigation of assault. 
 
 The rally was one of more than two dozen held across the U.S. on Saturday to target the notion that extremist interpretations of Islamic law might somehow infect American democracy. Counter-protesters called such fears an unfounded distortion of Islam. 
 
 Minnesota State Police made seven arrests as fights broke out during demonstrations at the state Capitol in St. Paul. 
 
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 3:45 p.m. 
 
 At least 20 people including a Republican candidate for Georgia governor gathered in an Atlanta park for a protest against Islamic law. 
 
 The rally, one of several held in more than two dozen U.S. cities, was organized by ACT for America, which claims Islamic law is incompatible with Western democracy. The organization says it opposes discrimination and supports the rights of those subject to Shariah. However, the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups, calls it the largest American anti-Muslim group. 
 
 Rally participants and a handful of counter-protesters appeared Saturday in Atlanta's Piedmont Park. Counter-protesters held a banner reading "Refuse Fascism" and chanted while the other side shouted back about female genital mutilation and honor killings. 
 
 State Sen. Michael Williams, a Republican candidate for governor, spoke to the rally, according to his spokesman, Seth Weathers. Williams also posed for pictures with a militia group and called on attendees to "unite against Shariah law," the SPLC said. 
 
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 1 p.m. 
 
 Authorities have made several arrests after fights broke out during an anti-Shariah rally and counter-protest at the Minnesota State Capitol. 
 
 The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports (https://goo.gl/kaAlbt ) about 100 people gathered inside the Capitol rotunda and listened to speeches asserting Islamic law is a threat to democracy. Three times as many counter-protesters demonstrated outside. 
 
 Several scuffles broke out on the Capitol steps as the events drew to a close and state troopers escorted anti-Shariah protesters across the grounds. The Minnesota State Patrol arrested about a half-dozen people. 
 
 Opponents of anti-Shariah demonstrations being held around the country Saturday say the events stoked unfounded fears and a distorted view of the religion. They say Islamic law poses no threat to American democracy. 
 
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 12:30 p.m. 
 
 Protesters who say they oppose Islamic law and counter-protesters shouted at each other from behind police barriers in Chicago in one of several such protests nationwide. 
 
 The Saturday rallies in Chicago occurred near a building developed by President Donald Trump. Giant letters spelling out "Trump" loomed on the high-rise over the more than 100 protesters. 
 
 About 30 demonstrators stood to one side of a street holding signs that read "Ban Sharia" and "Sharia abuses women." Just across the street, a larger and more vocal group of around 75 people chanted at them, "Racists out!" 
 
 A small group also stood at a nearby George Washington monument, chanting, "America first!" Some wore red hats with Trump's campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again." A dozen police surrounded them as counter-protesters shouted several feet away. 
 
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 10:40 a.m. 
 
 Marches against Islamic law have drawn larger counter-rallies in some U.S. cities. 
 
 Hundreds of counter-protesters marched through Seattle on Saturday to confront a few dozen people claiming Shariah is incompatible with Western freedoms. Local activists set up an "Ask an American Muslim" booth where attendees could meet and learn about their Muslim neighbors. 
 
 Scholars say there's little to no threat to U.S. democracy from Islamic law. 
 
 In New York and Chicago, a few dozen anti-Shariah demonstrators were outnumbered by counter-protesters. 
 
 The group ACT for America held anti-Sharia rallies in more than two dozen cities. The group said it supports the rights of those subject to Shariah law and opposes discrimination. But the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups, calls it the largest American anti-Muslim organization. 
 
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 12:03 a.m. 
 
 Marches against Islamic law are scheduled in more than two dozen cities across the United States. 
 
 Counter-demonstrations were also planned for Saturday by opponents who called the marches anti-Muslim and an attempt to stoke hatred. The group organizing the rallies, ACT for America, claims Shariah is incompatible with Western democracy 
 
 But Liyakat Takim, a professor of Islamic studies at McMaster University in the Canadian city of Hamilton, Ontario, says most Muslims don't want to replace U.S. law with Islamic law, known as Shariah. 
 
 He says only "radical extremist groups" would call for that.
– Small but raucous demonstrations across the country Saturday targeted the notion that extremist interpretations of Islamic law might somehow infect American democracy, but many of the rallies drew even more boisterous counter-protests by people who called such fears an unfounded distortion of Islam, the AP reports. Hundreds of counter-protesters marched through downtown Seattle, banging drums, cymbals, and cowbells behind a large sign saying "Seattle stands with our Muslim neighbors." Participants chanted "No hate, no fear, Muslims are welcome here" on their way to City Hall, while a phalanx of bicycle police officers separated them from an anti-Shariah rally numbering in the dozens. Police ultimately used tear gas to disperse rowdy demonstrators and made several arrests. In front of the Trump building in downtown Chicago, about 30 people demonstrated against Islamic law and in favor of President Trump, shouting slogans and holding signs that read "Ban Sharia" and "Sharia abuses women." About twice as many counter-protesters marshaled across the street. A similar scene played out in a park near a New York courthouse, where counter-protesters sounded air-horns and banged pots and pans in an effort to silence an anti-Shariah rally. In St. Paul, Minn., state troopers arrested seven people when scuffles broke out at the close of competing demonstrations at the state Capitol. The rallies, held in more than two dozen US cities, were organized by ACT for America, which claims Islamic law is incompatible with Western democracy. The organization said it opposes discrimination and supports the rights of those subject to Shariah. However, the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups, calls it the largest American anti-Muslim group.