'It brings fear to community members': Wall Street Journal op-ed sparks Dearborn safety concerns

DEARBORN, Mich (FOX 2) - Days later, some Dearborn business and community leaders are still talking about the Wall Street Journal opinion piece that caused a lot of controversy.

On Monday, we saw an added security outside the Islamic Center of America Mosque on Ford Road. It is a direct response from Mayor Abdullah Hammoud and police to the WSJ's opinion piece, calling Dearborn "America’s Jihad Capital."

"This article, it brings fear to community members," said Hamzah Nasser. "We don’t know what can happen from an article like that.

"As soon as that article came out, police presence was all over."

Nasser is the owner of Haraz Coffee and is no stranger to standing up for his community and culture.

Back in December, he was one of several Dearborn business owners to close for a day. It was part of a protest calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

Nasser says the Wall Street Journal commentary has sparked a lot of dialogue.

FOX 2: "What can you do now?"

"We’d love to invite everyone. anyone who has any misperception about Dearborn. we’d love to invite them here," he said. "This is where I grew up. My whole life, my whole childhood is Dearborn. Even my successful business, the success came out of this beautiful community, who supported this business."

This is not the first time that Dearborn has been misrepresented nationally.

Last fall, FOX News and then-Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis both misused photos of local Arab American protesters demonstrating for Palestine, not Hamas, following the Middle East conflict in Gaza.

Local and national Arab leaders believe the Wall Street Journal article could fan the flames.

Related:

• Dearborn mayor ramps up police patrols after "Islamophobic rhetoric" in WSJ op-ed
• Dearborn community leaders push back on Wall Street Journal piece calling it the 'Jihad Capital'

National leaders like Abed Ayoub — who runs the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee — wants to help Dearborn fight back against a damaging perception.

"Nationally, we’re going to follow Dearborn’s lead, that’s why we’re here," he said. "That’s why we’re coming here to provide the resources and tools that are needed, but also to support and uplift efforts the locals are doing."

The ADC is working to take actions against the Wall Street Journal and is working with city leaders.

Hamzah Nasser, owner of Haraz Coffee in Dearborn.