Dearborn Police Chief Urges Residents to ‘Please Stay Home’ Before Meeting

Police Chief Issues Direct Request

Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin released a video message urging residents to stay away from the Tuesday, Aug. 18 city council meeting, saying individuals and groups from outside the community may come to Dearborn for what he described as an anti-Islam demonstration. Shahin said police have been monitoring the situation and coordinating with state and federal partners. He also said residents will see an enhanced police presence and that the department has a plan in place. His main message was blunt: “Please stay home.” That is not exactly the usual city hall pep talk, but it does show officials are taking the situation seriously.

Why Officials Say They Are Worried

Shahin said the expected groups are coming “for one reason,” which he described as trying to provoke a reaction and generate attention. According to the source report, activists planning a “Christian Crusader March” to “Stop Islamification” are among those expected to show up and exercise their First Amendment rights. Shahin argued that if nobody shows up to react, the demonstrators “have nothing,” and said the most powerful move residents can make is refusing to give them an audience. That may be practical police advice, even if it sounds like the city is asking citizens to sit this one out while the political temperature climbs.

Dearborn Remains A National Flashpoint

Dearborn has drawn national attention because of its changing demographics and high-profile public disputes. The source report describes the city as majority Arab and heavily Muslim, with outdoor Islamic calls to prayer heard in neighborhoods. It also notes that Mayor Abdullah Hammoud previously told a Christian resident he was “not welcome” in the city. The same report says pro-Hezbollah and Iranian-linked imagery has appeared at local processions, and that activist Jake Lang was attacked during the city’s massive Arbaeen procession. The report further states that monitoring organizations said the procession featured flags of U.S.-designated terrorist groups.

Past Incidents Still Fuel The Tension

The report points to earlier coverage that has kept Dearborn in the national spotlight. In April 2024, Jim Hoft reported that participants chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” during an Al-Quds Day gathering in Dearborn. In September 2025, the outlet covered Mayor Hammoud’s confrontation with Christian resident Ted Barham during a city council meeting. Those episodes help explain why this upcoming meeting is not being treated like a sleepy debate over parking rules or shrub height. When a police chief asks residents to stay home and promises extra officers, the issue has moved from normal civic disagreement into public safety planning.

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