DEARBORN, Mich. (WXYZ) — Demonstrators clashed and several law enforcement agencies, including police in riot gear, were at a Dearborn City Council meeting where anti-Muslim, far-right activist Jake Lang was in attendance.
Crowds grew for hours ahead of the 7 p.m. meeting with flags, signs and strong opinions. Outside the meeting that was held at Henry Ford Centennial Library, confrontations and fights broke out.
Watch our team coverage below:
Police set up a perimeter where Lang and his supporters shouted into the crowd, arguing with locals and calling for Muslims to be deported.
As Lang went inside for the meeting, chaos continued outside, where more individual confrontations happened on the front lawn.
Law enforcement quickly jumped in when altercations became physical. Multiple people were seen being taken into police custody.
Officials moved the meeting to the library in response to Lang's planned attendance.
Watch Chopper 7 video outside the library below:
Police asked residents to attend the meeting only if they have business with city council.
Lang, who was criminally charged then pardoned for the Jan. 6 insurrection, previously stirred demonstrations in Dearborn against Muslim Americans.
Richard McLaughlin from Belleville came in support of Lang.
"Us Christians aint leaving. We're here to stay. We aint going nowhere. You aint running us out of here. We're here to support our Christianity," McLaughlin said.
Meanwhile, Stephanie Butler, who says she’s a conservative Catholic who lives in Dearborn, came to stand against Lang.
"If they really want to learn something about Dearborn and not be so hateful that this is not the way to convert people to Jesus and this is like a really bad reflection on Christianity," Butler said.
It wasn’t as intense inside of the meeting. However, you could still feel the division.
Public comment got heated and Lang spoke his mind about Dearborn and the leadership in the city. He pushed his "Christian Crusader March" message and his anti-Muslim agenda.
“This is an invasion on all fronts. Our people are being pushed out of the workplace. We’re being pushed out of city council,” Lang said.
Lang ripped a Quran during his speech and that left many people upset inside the meeting. City Council President Michael Sareini had Lang escorted out by police after that happened.
Meanwhile, people who live in Dearborn and support the residents spoke about why Dearborn is so great. No one spoke about agenda items, only about the chaos that was unfolding outside and the anti-Muslim rhetoric circulating.
“This city is a beacon of hope. You have amazing administration all the way from Mayor Hammoud to our City Council President Sareini and our wonderful Chief of Police Issa Shahin,” Wayne County resident Robert said.
On Monday, City officials and faith leaders gathered at Dearborn City Hall to deliver a unified message ahead of Lang's visit.
Watch our coverage ahead of the visit and with city leaders below:
