Dearborn protest: Businesses respond to intense anti-Islam demonstration

DEARBORN, Mich. (FOX 2) - A full day has passed since an anti-Muslim rally was held in Dearborn. However, on Wednesday the scene was much different, with businesses seeing an outpouring of love in response to all the hate.

Dearborn community responds to agitators

Big picture view:

"Since all the hate’s been going on, the support’s been really great," said one business owner. "People have always loved to come out and support locally-owned small businesses. And I feel like we need to keep doing more of that as this goes on."

An Arab American business owner says the rally on Tuesday was awful. Hundreds attended the anti-Muslim rally in Dearborn, with far-right agitator Jake Lang at the center of it. Police say 22 people were arrested that night. But Wednesday, it was business as usual, with a little extra love.

Businesses tell FOX 2 whenever rallies like Tuesday's happen, they see more foot traffic and support.

What lawmakers are saying

What they're saying:

Mayor Abdullah Hammoud says he’s seeing an increase in support too.

"We’ve had several individuals who originally were intent on coming to join with the agitators such as Jake Lang and such," said Hammoud. "But when they arrived to Dearborn, they saw a beautiful American city. And one of the individuals goes by the social handle ‘The Bearded Traveling Veteran.’ And he actually apologized to all the folks on social media for the original thoughts and images he had of Dearborn. That he had not met a more beautiful community. And so I think that actually is a tale of so many individuals that come with open hearts who are willing to see for themselves what Dearborn is all about."

With election season in full swing, he expects to see more incidents and agitators, but it won’t change their focus.

"You know, I’m born and raised in the city of Dearborn. Before Jake Lang, there were individuals like Terry Jones," Hammoud said. "And after Jake Lang, we’ll have other individuals. What Dearborn does best is focus on who we are and our community and our residents' day in and day out. We don’t have time to think about out-of-towners who want to come in and disrupt, ’cause that’s what they want. They’d like us to live a smaller life, to retract into our homes. And our message, our focus, is to make sure each and every single person in the city of Dearborn lives their fullest life, lives their best life, and that’s what I’m focused on."

The backstory:

For days, Dearborn police told people who do not have official business before City Council not to show up to demonstrate for or against Lang.

As Lang addressed the city council, individuals wearing swastikas and other protesters gathered outside the library.

Lang, a far-right activist, made incendiary claims during a public comment period about white Christians being replaced in the city. He was jeered by those inside as various groups gathered outside. 

FOX 2 crews on the scene witnessed Dearborn police make multiple arrests. Dearborn Police said later on Wednesday that 22 people were arrested, ranging in age from 18 to 64 years old and belonging to areas from across the state and locations as far out as New York and Tennessee.

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