Hundreds of anti-Islam agitators crowd Dearborn City Council Meeting, several demonstrators arrested by police
Anti-Islam activist, MAGA supporter, and Jan. 6 rioter Jake Lang rallied Nazi sympathizers, Christian Nationalists, and anti-Islam agitators to the predominantly Muslim city of Dearborn. Lang had publicly stated his intent to attend the Aug. 18 city council meeting happening at Henry Ford Centennial Library.
Days before Lang’s arrival, Dearborn Police warned residents and those from out of town without official business not to rally for or against Lang.
Dearborn’s Christian leaders, Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, and Chief of Police Issa Shahin spoke out against the hate from Lang.
“Dearborn is a place where people can love and draw close to each other and to worship freely. I’ve experienced that as a Christian, as a Catholic,” said Rev. Bob McCabe, pastor of the Church of the Divine Child.
Other officials from the Muslim community also expressed their concerns.
“To all our Dearborn families and residents: I have your back. I wish I could take away this pain, but know that you are not alone. To our interfaith community that’s standing in solidarity with their Muslim neighbors: thank you for speaking out against this hatred. We need more of this love and compassion.” Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib said in a statement Tuesday morning.
Ahead of the Tuesday meeting, both Lang’s supporters and Dearborn residents opposing Lang clashed outside of the library, with both sides actively opposing the other. The clashing did not escalate into violence, but 22 people were arrested. The majority of the arrests were of people not from Dearborn, with people coming from as far as New York.
During the meeting, Lang made hostile comments toward the Muslim community, making claims that “white Christians are being invaded” and that Muslims are looking to destroy America, commit atrocities, and that Muslim leaders are “fake Muslims” due to supporting democratic ideals.
Lang said, “Muslims go home before we make you go home,” before threatening the community with mass deportation.
In response to Lang, Mayor Abdullah Hammoud spoke to the people of Dearborn, reassuring them that they are always welcome.
“A group of children walked up (to me). And amongst them was a young boy not older than 6 or 7, and he looked at me, and he asked if the “crusaders” that were coming were coming to kill him.” Hammoud said, recounting a resent exsperence. “That little boy reminded me that what is happening outside is not just political theater. Fear has consequences.”
“I want to boldly say that you belong here,” Hammoud said.
Due to the nature of the protest, this protest has gained national attention.
“They’ve (Lang and the “Crusaders”) been trying to battle for a small America, where only some kind of people get to belong,” said Dr. Abdul El-Sayed in an interview with Fox 2. “And the thing about that they don’t understand, we just celebrated our 250 years of an America built around the idea of a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. The idea that there shall be no religious test. Around the idea of E pluribus unum, of the many, one.”
“Christians ain’t leaving. We’re here to stay. We ain’t going nowhere, you ain’t running us out of here,” Lane supporter and Belleville resident Richard McLaughlin told reporters.
Dearborn local Stephanie Butler expressed her love for the community in Dearborn and expressed that while she herself identifies as a conservative Christian, she does not support Lane’s actions.
“It’s like, the true American dream. You have ladies walking around wearing the hijab, nobody bothers anybody here,” Butler said in an interview with WXYZ-TV in Detroit.
“This is a really bad reflection on Christianity,” Butler continued. “And I just say, ‘What if someone came into your home and came to your religious institutions and burned your holy books in front of you?’ How would you feel?”
