Two Christian groups, both under attack in a no-go zone zone in Dearborn, Michigan, in an increasingly sharia compliant America. Dearborn, the same city that refused to run my bus ads offering help to apostates (despite our win in the courts).
On Friday, two separate groups were threatened and attacked because they came to Dearborn to stand for their beliefs. Whether you like their presentation or not is irrelevant. It's free speech. Period.
“We’re here in Dearborn because they have issues with free speech,” said Ruben Israel.
He says the group was enraged about the four missionaries arrested last July at the Arab American Festival, for their shouting their own religious message. It was a protest that officials deemed disorderly.Ruben and his "Bible Believers" group waved signs including "Islam is a religion of blood and murder," which of course it is in many Muslim countries ....... so what?
“When you arrest men for passing out literature, you’re going to get guys like us,”
“Talking dirty about the Koran. Dirty about Muslims,” said Mustafa Kahwaji.Indeed. But bus ads and billboards that myriad Muslim groups ran claiming that Abraham, Issac, Jacob and Moses were Muslims were deeply offensive and "dirty" to non-Muslims. Nobody was attacked.
Pastor Jones made an abbreviated appearance earlier in the day as well. But he had to seek refuge in a police car when his group was physically attacked.
Pastor Terry Jones Rallies in Dearborn, Skips Arab Festival By AMY LANGE
WJBK | myFOXDetroit.com
There was a hostile welcome Friday afternoon in Dearborn for controversial Florida Pastor
Terry Jones. You could say he was pushed to his brink.
Jones led a rally against radical Islam at city hall before trying to continue his protest at the nearby Arab International Festival, but he never made it there.
Protesters got physical with Jones as he tried to head for the festival. He barely made it off the corner of Michigan and Schaefer.
Dearborn police made several arrests after urging the pastor to take a car instead of trying to walk the two miles to the festival.
People in the crowd yelled back and then they pushed back, prompting police to put Jones in a police car for his own safety. The pastor decided not to go to the festival after all.
Tensions were high after a highly inflammatory rally during which Jones and fellow speakers sometimes insulted the crowd and Islam, at times holding up the Koran for emphasis.
"I actually expected them to let us walk along the sidewalk and just continue to yell. I did not expect for them to actually get physical," Jones told reporters. "We should not be intimidated.
We should not react in fear, but at the same time, we do want to use a certain amount of wisdom and we feel like now pushing it now further after what we have seen and what has happened would just be uncalled for and it would be counterproductive."
Jones told us he was going to go back to his hotel room and then back to Florida on Saturday. However, he said he will be returning to Dearborn.
Tensions high as protestors arrive at Dearborn Arab International Festival WXYZ
DEARBORN, Mich. (WXYZ) - The Arab International Festival attracts more than 300,000 people to Dearborn every year. This is the 16th year for the event that turned rowdy and at times dangerous when religious beliefs and protesters clashed.
The protesters waved signs plastered with sayings like ‘Islam is a religion of blood and murder’, many at the Arab International Festival saw hate.
“Talking dirty about the Koran. Dirty about Muslims,” said Mustafa Kahwaji.
They call themselves the bible believers—men and women assembled from all over the country.
Their posters and shouting caused the 16th annual festival to come to a standstill around 5:30 Friday night. Their organizer Ruben Israel comes from California.
“We’re here in Dearborn because they have issues with free speech,” said Ruben Israel.
He says the group was enraged about the four missionaries arrested last July at the Arab American Festival, for their shouting their own religious message. It was a protest that officials deemed disorderly.
“When you arrest men for passing out literature, you’re going to get guys like us,” said Israel.
Tensions mounted and people in the crowd of 40-50 thousand started throwing things.
I [the TV reporter] myself was hit during my live shot when a full water bottle whipped from the crowd. It was an angry message meant for a protester.
No one was arrested, but police removed disorderly people from the crowd and asked them to leave the festival.
“Why are you going to come to our city and disrespect us like that,” said on angry onlooker.
Barricades were provided in an effort to separate protesters from furious festival goers. But after three hours, organizers were ready to take them down.
“If this is how they are going to behave, then his has gone beyond free speech at this point,” said Ahmad Chebbani, Chairman of the American Arab Chamber of Commerce.
“Things are going to get real pushy on the sidewalk. And whatever happens, blood is on his shoulder,” said Israel.
Israel and his group agreed to leave at 9pm. But a half hour early, they voluntarily jumped in their unmarked vans. They were escorted out of the area by police and a mob of angry people.
Atlas Shrugs
