Open-carry advocates plan anti-Islam rally in Dearborn

An anti-Islam rally is planned for Saturday in Dearborn, organized by open-carry gun advocates who say they are patriots trying to protect America, one of about 20 such rallies planned nationwide.

Dearborn Police Chief Ron Haddad said authorities are monitoring the rally, working with the FBI, U.S. Attorney's Office in Detroit and State Police. The rally is part of what organizers call the Global Rally for Humanity, an attempt to bring attention to what they call "radical Islam."

On their Facebook account, organizers indicate they are with the Oath Keepers and Three Percenters, two groups described by the Anti-Defamation League as extremist anti-government movements that grew after President Barack Obama took office. A leader with the Oath Keepers had threatened last month to arrest U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow for supporting the Iran deal, according to Roll Call and other media outlets.

On Facebook, organizers for the Saturday rallies have said they are open-carry gun advocates and suggest that people bring guns to the rally. A Facebook page for the Michigan branch of Global Rally for Humanity has posted a video on its homepage of a man firing an assault rifle and then laughing about it.

The organizers of the Dearborn rally initially planned to hold it outside the Islamic Center of America, one of the biggest mosques in Michigan. But they had not filed for permits in time and were told by police there were issues with access and space in front of the mosque, according to a Facebook post by the group. A permit to rally in Dearborn usually takes about 30 days to process, Haddad said.

Dearborn police told the organizers there are other parts of the city where they could rally without a permit. Now, it will be held on Michigan Avenue near the Henry Ford Centennial Library and Dearborn's new city hall, city officials said.

A person with the Facebook page told the Free Press: "The rallies (are) aimed toward radical Islam and Louis Farrakhan," who is organizing an event on the same day called Justice or Else, marking the 20th anniversary of the Million Man March.

The person did not identify himself when asked by the Free Press. Haddad and Dearborn Mayor Jack O'Reilly did not identify the Dearborn rally's organizer other than to say that he lives in Michigan.

"We are fully prepared to facilitate or mitigate any incidents this coming weekend," Haddad said. "We have coordinated with the FBI, U.S. Attorney, the intelligence community, state, county and local agencies for a tactical plan."

Two counterprotests were being planned on Facebook, though it's unclear where they would hold their events.

On Monday, Muslim-American groups held a conference call with the FBI and Department of Justice, according to the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) and other groups. Federal officials urged Muslims and others to contact law enforcement if they feel threatened on the day of the protests by any activity.

The planned anti-Islam rally is the latest event over the past five years held by people hostile to Muslims in Dearborn, where more than 40% of the population is of Arab descent, a majority of them Muslim. Quran-burning Pastor Terry Jones of Florida held several anti-Islam rallies in Dearborn, as did a group of Christian missionaries who brought a pig's head on a pole to the annual Arab festival.

Dearborn Mayor O'Reilly said of Saturday's rallies: "We're being very cooperative. We want to honor the right" to protest. In the past, some anti-Islam protesters have filed suit against the city over free speech issues.

O'Reilly said the organizer of the Dearborn rally "doesn't seem to be extreme in any way. ... He's very reasonable."

But the city is concerned about "who else will come out," he said.

Referring to the group's name for the protest, Global Rally for Humanity, Dearborn resident Majed Moughni said: "They claim to stand up for humanity, as if Muslims are not humans."

Contact Niraj Warikoo: nwarikoo@freepress.com or 313-223-4792. Follow him on Twitter @nwarikoo