Dearborn moves city council meeting after "Christian Crusader March" plans

Dearborn is moving its city council meeting to another location as a "Christian Crusader March" was announced online.

City Council President Mike Sareini posted a Facebook video with Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin announcing that the city council meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 18, is changing its location to Henry Ford Centennial Library as opposed to the usual Dearborn Administrative Center location.

"Of course, we want anyone that has business with the city of Dearborn to show up and voice your concerns regarding the business items that we have, and those that are not, the chief is here," said Sareini as he signaled Shahin to continue.

"If you want to attend the meeting and exercise your First Amendment right, we encourage you to attend, and I can assure you you'll be safe," said Shahin. "If your goal is to engage with demonstrators, I ask you to stay home."

"People are coming to create problems; we don't want to give them the opportunity nor the stage," Sareini adds.

Conservative activist Jake Lang and Detroit Pastor Lorenzo Sewell posted a poster on their social media pages announcing a "Christian Crusader March on Dearborn City Council Meeting" with a "Stop Islamification of America" slogan.

Lang commented on Sewell's march announcement, saying: "CRUSADE OR BE REPLACED."

Dearborn takes safety measures

Shahin had urged residents to avoid protesters in an earlier Facebook video this week.

"Please stay home. These groups that are coming here are coming for one reason, and that is to provoke a reaction and generate attention. If nobody shows up to react, they have nothing," Shahin said.

Dearborn police had also assured residents that they will have an "enhanced presence" at the city council meeting as well as a comprehensive plan to ensure everyone's safety.

Dearborn City Council member Kamal Alsawafy told CBS News Detroit earlier this week that he agrees with Dearborn police's message to residents to hold back from confronting the group that continues to attempt to cast Dearborn in a bad light.

Anti-Islam protests in Dearborn

Tuesday will not be the first time Lang and other anti-Islam activists have organized protests in the city, which is known for having one of the highest concentrations of Arab and Muslim residents per capita in the country.

Earlier this month, Lang was allegedly assaulted in another anti-Muslim protest in Dearborn. Sewell says that the upcoming march comes as a result of the assault and claims that the police had failed to respond.

"The police can enact justice when they want to, but when Jake Lang is running for his life, the police do absolutely nothing," Sewell said in a video posted to his Instagram.

Shahin opposed that claim.

"Within 30 seconds of his arrival, police officers were making sure everybody was safe," Shahin said.

In November 2025, Lang and dozens of anti-Islam protesters marched through the streets of Dearborn, clashing with counter-protesters.