Dearborn police chief takes aim at open carry demonstrators

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The video is unforgettable -  a heavily armed masked man barges into the Dearborn police station-- while his friend records the dramatic scene.

Now some open carry advocates are bringing their guns to the streets in support of those men. That demonstration is part of rising tensions in Dearborn including a threat against the American Muslim Society.

"What would somebody at a restaurant do if those people that invaded the police station here do if you were having dinner with your family," Dearborn Police Chief Ronald Haddad.  "What would you think if you were at a bank and saw that. And yet they'd profess they had the legal right to do that."

Dearborn police is responding Thursday at these open carry demonstrators appearing to be supporting the two men who walked the police station earlier this month heavily armed, wearing masks and causing panic.

"Our police officers when faced with this kind of dilemmas, have to make a split-second decision on whether it is a real threat to them or to public safety," he said.

Haddad says this demonstration from last Sunday on Schaefer prompted roughly 15 different 911 calls.

"I've spent 44 years trying to make sure what people's Constitutional rights are upheld and defended," he said. "But I have a problem with people walking into a business sector, walking down the street, walking into a bank, walking into a mall, just to get a reaction."

Dearborn police say -- on the same day folks at a mosque on Vernor received a threatening voicemail with derogatory comments about Islam and Muslims.

The audio threat said: "All Muslims are agents of Satan and they are going to be eradicated."

"I found this threat that was leveled against this mosque as totally unacceptable," Haddad said. "And totally malicious."

Dearborn police say they're actively working to find who made that threat. 

Haddad also addressed a post being shared on social media claiming there's been a series of home invasions. The post claims victims have been tricked into allowing women dressed in traditional Arabic clothing into their homes and their belongings, then taken.

"They even attached a photo with that," Haddad said. "That report is completely false."

While Haddad says he's planning to discuss the open carry law with legislators to have it amended. He adds that he's simply fed up.

"Leave the people alone, leave the kids alone, leave the faith based community alone," Haddad said. "If they have a need to lash out, they can lash out at me."