Quran-burning Pastor Terry Jones surrounded in Dearborn by scrum of protesters (Part 1)

by Detroit Free Press
June 18, 2011

After railing at Dearborn City Hall against Muslims and African Americans, Quran-burning Pastor Terry Jones and his supporters were thwarted Friday in their plans to speak out at a nearby Arab-American festival after a group of angry protesters confronted him. But a group of Christians sympathetic to Jones did rally at the festival later, hurling insults through a megaphone at people attending the festival.

"Dearborn has made it clear: Racist bigots aren't welcome here," shouted a small group of protesters who surrounded Jones as he tried to walk up Schaefer Avenue near City Hall. Earlier, Jones had led a rally against Islam, where several pastors and a rabbi -- all from out of state -- spoke about what they saw as the threat of Islam in the U.S.

Jones sported sunglasses, a bulletproof vest and a T-shirt that read: "Everything I ever needed to know about Islam I learned on 9-11."

"We stand up for the Constitution," he said during his rally at City Hall.

Afterward, he tried to walk the 2 miles to the Arab festival, but had to keep changing directions as protesters -- mostly non-Muslims with the group By Any Means Necessary -- blocked his path.

After a few minutes of shouting and minor scuffling, Jones decided to not continue and canceled his plans to walk and speak at the festival. Dearborn police swarmed in to whisk Jones and his assistant pastor, Wayne Sapp, into a police car.

Police arrested six counter-protesters, ages 18-22. Three of them were men, three were women, Dearborn Police Chief Ron Haddad said. Five of the six arrested were not from Dearborn, indicating that Dearborn residents largely stayed away, Haddad said.

Mayor John O'Reilly criticized both Jones and BAMN protesters for being outsiders who were disturbing the peace in his city.

Compared with a similar rally Jones held in April at City Hall, this one attracted markedly fewer supporters and counter-demonstrators. There were about 15 Jones supporters.

Matthew Keller, 78, a Dearborn resident who supports Jones, said he has Muslim neighbors, but is concerned about Islam.

"I'm a patriot. I'm a Christian. I believe in Jesus Christ above everything," he said.

Jones announced a plan to target Muslim-heavy communities across the U.S., including neighborhoods in Chicago, where the Nation of Islam has a presence. He said he would return to Dearborn.

Jones said Friday, as he has said repeatedly before, that Muslims have to prove their loyalty to the U.S. because their religion makes them suspect.

That outraged Dearborn resident Mohamed Al-Hachami, 14, who said Jones has no right to question them.

"I love America," Al-Hachami said. "I've never even been to the Arab world my entire life."

Late Friday, a group of Christians yelled at people attending the Arab festival.

Shouting through a bullhorn, they repeatedly insulted Muslims. One sign read: "Muhammad is a ... liar ... pervert."

Wayne County sheriff's deputies later escorted them away as Arab Americans yelled back "U-S-A!" and "Mohammed."

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Islam
• Muslim
• Dearborn
• Terry Jones
• religion
• Michigan
• Arab
• Arab-American
• Quran
• Koran
• foreign affairs
• foreign policy
• Arab Festival
• Christian
• Christianity
• Bible
• Jesus
• African-American
• black
• Christ
• Jesus Christ
• faith

[tonylee1973]

@wowgodhamel there are no innocent muslims. they all worship a pedophile named mohhommed. shit be upon him

[gordo4204life]

give me the book and ill show you what i can do

[AbdullahRachid]

Christian crusaders are causing suffering to my Muslim brothers and sisters because they are violent, and on drugs. If you see Christians with meth, illegal firearms, etc on their persons, in their homes, or cars. It would be nice to anonymously call the police (do not give your name) and they will be imprisoned. The Muslim brothers will show them kindness and mercy in prison because their families will be alone. It would be nice to show kindness to their families also. Allahu Akbar.

[gusdeize]

inilah orang yang bikin islam jaDI teroris...jangan salaHKAn islam

[chine62]

@wowgodhamel You learned nothing about Christianity. The Catholic Church under the Papacy set up the Crusades and not true Christians. Get your information right, instead of flaunting your ignorance here. Jesus never taught His followers to kill anyone.

[samueldavs]

why is he wearing special agent cap ??

[bornfree138]

lol 

[wowgodhamel]

Everything that I wanted to learn about Christianity, I learned during the crusades, when Christians were burning witches at the stake and slaughtering and raping innocent Muslims children.



[infidel1978]

@donyasserdon And yes the EDL are only against Muslims(The UK if very much anti Islam).2 days after the Riots the EDL had a protest about Islamic extremism outside a London Mosque

[infidel1978]

@donyasserdon The Riots were done by chavs. The EDL are Chavs themself's they are all football hooligans the same type that was fighting and smashed my local pub up yesterday, rioting in the street stopping all the traffic all over a Manchester united v Manchester city football match.The EDL came from football Hooligans, they still are Hooligans and criminals that's why they get a bad rep