RICHARDSON - About 20 people, half of them armed with rifles, rallied outside a suburban Dallas mosque against Islamist violence and Syrian refugee resettlement.

The demonstration organized by the Bureau of American-Islamic Relations drew a counter-demonstration by about 50 people. An Associated Press photographer reported that while there were frequent discussions between both sides, they were peaceful and intervention by the dozen police officers wasn't needed.

The protesting group included members of the "Three Percenters" who consider themselves patriots protecting the homeland from Muslims. They previously organized armed protests outside a mosque in Irving, another Dallas suburb.

Hundreds participated in a "United Against Racism and Hate" rally at Fair Park in Dallas. The demonstrators marched a few blocks to the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center to protest anti-Islamic activities and rhetoric.