Dearborn police increase presence at places of worship, schools following online threat
DEARBORN, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) – The Dearborn Police Department has increased its presence at all places of worship and schools throughout the city. This follows Thursday's arrest of a man who posted online threats against Palestinian Americans in Dearborn.
The arrest came after law enforcement received a copy of threatening social media posts from an anonymous tip. Police investigated and arrested the suspect at his home in Farmington Hills Thursday afternoon.
The incident has raised concerns among residents, particularly those of Palestinian and Arab descent who have experienced threats in the past.
Zahraa Jaffal, a Dearborn resident, expressed her initial response to the arrest, saying, "Honestly, when I heard about it, the first thing I felt was unsafe but safe at the same time."
She said despite the threat, she feels safe due to the strength of the Arab and Muslim communities.
"Because we have that strong community and because we have that safe haven for us over here in Dearborn, I would never want to be anywhere else at a time like this," she said.
Days ago, Jaffal and her sister Khadija were in their village in Lebanon and witnessed the nearby conflict. The majority of their family is still there.
The sisters lean on their Dearborn community, but they still face challenges.
"I mean, I've had racial slurs, even here," said Jaffal. "I was in Allen Park, I had it a long time ago, but still, you know. It still affects."
Of course, the online world brings hate to even the safest communities.
"It's very upsetting because there's so much uneducated people no matter how old they are," said Khadija. "Like there's two celebrities who posted posts about Gaza and said 'pray for Israel' not knowing it was Palestinian children in those photos."
Despite these challenges, the Jaffal sisters said they trust in the police to protect them from any potential threats.
Dearborn police have assured the community that they are increasing their presence at schools and places of worship in response to the recent arrest. However, they maintain that they are not aware of any additional credible threats at this time.
