Marriott refuses to cancel booking by US anti-Islam group

The Marriott hotel group has resisted calls from activists to cancel a booking by one of US' largest anti-Muslim groups.

ACT for America has been accused of campaigning for anti-Muslim legislation and spreading hate speech.

They are due to hold a two-day conference in October at the Marriott Crystal Gateway hotel in Virginia.

The hotel group's CEO Arne Sorensen was contacted by civil rights organisation Muslim Advocates last month, as part of the bid to have the event cancelled.

In the letter, the group called on the CEO to live up to the hotel group's own values, saying that the Marriott "proudly states on its website that 'diversity and inclusion is fundamental to our core values'". 

It also reminded Sorensen of Marriott's track record of standing up for minority rights.

"We especially applaud Marriott's 2010 decision to cancel an agreement to host a white nationalist conference at your Dulles property and ask you to look to this precedent as a basis for cancelling the ACT for America conference," the letter read.

Founder and president of the anti-Muslim ACT group, Brigitte Gabriel, has said in a promotional video that the event due to take place at the Marriott is a chance to prepare for the fight against the "leftist Islamic coalition".

ACT organised numerous 'anti-Sharia' protests around the US. It has also distributed a controversial questionnaire that asked Muslim school children whether they advocate wife beating.

Gabriel is noted for her anti-Muslim rhetoric, having once said that a "practicing Muslim, who believes in the teachings of the Quran, cannot be a loyal citizen of the United States".

In another anti-Muslim tirade, Gabriel said that Europe has become "Eurabia" due to Muslim immigration.

Marriott has yet to respond to Muslim Advocates' letter, however, it has told the Huffington Post: "We are a hospitality company that provides public accommodations and function space. Acceptance of business does not indicate support or endorsement of any group or individual".