Twenty-two people were arrested Tuesday for a range of misdemeanors during a heated protest in Dearborn involving an anti-Muslim activist who has visited the city multiple times as part of what he calls a Christian “crusade.”
Dozens of police from multiple agencies, some of whom were in full riot gear, were in place Tuesday evening for the latest protest involving self-described anti-Islamic activist Jake Lang. It was held in front of the Henry Ford Centennial Library on Michigan Avenue and near the city’s administrative offices.
Dearborn Police on Wednesday said those arrested ranged in age from 18 to 64 and came from all over Michigan, along with New York and Tennessee. Despite several incidents requiring police intervention, no injuries were reported, police said.
“Our officers met a challenging and rapidly evolving situation with the professionalism this community expects, keeping everyone safe, protecting the constitutional rights of those who came to be heard, and allowing the City Council to complete its business. I could not be prouder of them,” said Police Chief Issa Shahin in a press release.
Throughout the day Tuesday, several hundred demonstrators representing a variety of groups and organizations gathered in the area surrounding the library for Lang’s visit, his latest in a matter of weeks.
Dearborn Police worked with multiple agencies, including the Michigan State Police, Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, Wayne County Sheriff’s Mounted Unit, Detroit Police Department, and Western Wayne Mobile Field Force.
Dearborn City Councilman Bob Abraham said he said he didn’t hear Lang and his supporters have anything new to say Tuesday night.
He said that while it’s troubling that some people outside Dearborn believe the hateful messages and misinformation Lang spreads about the city, Abraham was touched to see people come from outside the city as well as residents come to the meeting to praise Dearborn as a welcoming, diverse place.
“When you have people from the outside looking in, and they can see through this ridiculous messaging, I think that’s the most important factor,” he said.
Dearborn police on Wednesday didn’t release the names of those arrested but said the offenses, all misdemeanors, included breach of peace and disorderly conduct.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: 22 arrested during Jake Lang protest in Dearborn
Reporting by Maureen Feighan and Julia Cardi, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Maureen Feighan and Julia Cardi, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
