Good Friday mosque protest may spur unrest, prosecutors fear

April 19. 2011 1:00AM

Prosecutors say Fla. pastor should pay for added police presence

Oralandar Brand-Williams / The Detroit News

Dearborn — Wayne County prosecutors want a judge to make it more difficult — if not illegal — for a Quran-burning pastor to protest at a local mosque on Good Friday.
Prosecutors on April 15 filed a motion arguing that Florida pastor Terry Jones' planned demonstration at the Islamic Center of America on the Dearborn/Detroit border poses a "likelihood of a riot ensuing, complete with discharge of firearms."

Jones is supposed to appear Thursday in District Court in Dearborn on prosecutors' request to post a "peace bond" to pay for police protection. No amount is specified, but Jones claimed Dearborn police have asked for $100,000 to cover overtime costs.

He called the move to silence him "unconstitutional" and has no intention of paying — or backing down.
"Nothing has changed. Nothing will change," said Jones of Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Fla. "We will definitely be there."

He gained global notoriety last year for threatening to burn a Quran and is blamed for an outbreak of violence in Afghanistan after torching one at his small church in April. In an affidavit attached to the complaint, Dearborn Police Chief Ronald Haddad wrote that he fears Jones could do it again.

"Intelligence received leads me to believe that Pastor Jones will jeopardize the safety of the public by committing an act against the person or property of another in the former of burning a Koran," Haddad wrote.

The complaint claims Jones has received 300 death threats over the protest, is the target of a $1.2 million reward for his assassination from a terrorist group and told police he plans to bring a pistol to protect himself during the Friday afternoon protest at the Ford Road mosque.

Jones said he is coming with a handful of followers to protest extremist Islam and Sharia, the religion's law. He said he's coming to Dearborn because of its large Arab and Muslim populations. The mosque is identified in prosecutors' court papers as the largest in the nation.

"We're talking about the radicalization of Islam in America," Jones said. "We have gotten a lot of reaction about how dangerous it can or will be."

Balancing safety, rights

The prosecutors' petition — "a complaint to institute proceedings to prevent crime" — is believed to be unusual.

University of Detroit Mercy law professor Larry Dubin said it attempts to balance free speech rights and the public's right to be safe.

"There is the competing issue between the lawful protection of the public safety, which would be a valid government interest, and the potential for overbroadening the restriction on his First Amendment rights," Dubin said.

Prosecutors declined comment. The complaint, though, follows numerous efforts to persuade Jones to move the protest to Dearborn's "free-speech zones" — City Hall and the municipal complex — that wouldn't require a permit.

Jones hasn't received a permit for his demonstration. Mary Laundroche, a Dearborn spokeswoman, said city officials are reviewing three to four requests for permits outside the mosque. Some are believed to be counter-protests against Jones, but Laundroche wouldn't elaborate.

"They're still under review by federal, state and county authorities because of public safety concerns," she said.

In the complaint, police and city officials said the mosque on Ford Road isn't public, will cause logistical problems for churches observing services and could pose a threat to nearby schools.

The legal action comes after city officials persuaded another group, the Order of the Dragon, to cancel a protest at City Hall on Friday. The group, whose website vows to "protect our country from the rise of radical Islam," wanted to demonstrate because members believed Dearborn practiced Sharia law.
But the event — which initially drew Jones to Dearborn — was canceled after group leader Frank Fiorello met last week with Dearborn Mayor John O'Reilly and Muslim leaders.

"We understand that Sharia is not enacted," said Fiorello, a Marlette resident.

Clergy stand united

The legal maneuvering comes as efforts by religious leaders intensify to persuade Jones to change his mind.
Religious leaders held a news conference Monday at Greater Mount Tabor Baptist Church on West Chicago and wore T-shirts that read "I Am American … I Am American … I AM American."

"I would call on Terry Jones not to come to Dearborn," said Imam Hassan Qazwini of the Islamic Center of America, at whose mosque Jones is planning to protest. "What he is doing is inciting hatred against Muslims. We do not think what he is doing is helping our community, our society or our country."

Metro Detroit religious leaders plan prayer vigils Thursday and Friday to show solidarity against Jones. A prayer event is planned Thursday at the mosque, while another vigil is planned at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center in Dearborn on Friday before Jones' protest.

The Rev. Edwin Rowe of Central United Methodist Church downtown urged religious leaders and others in Metro Detroit to speak out against Jones.

"This is a violation of Christianity," Rowe said. "This is a violation of Judaism. This is a violation of Hinduism. This is a violation of every major faith in the world."

Qazwini said Jones is trying to provoke Muslims and make money. "I see him fundraising for himself and shopping for more supporters," said Qazwini.

bwilliams@detnews.com

(313) 222-2027

Staff Writer Nathan Hurst contributed.


From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110419/METRO/104190315/Good-Friday-mosque-protest-may-spur-unrest--prosecutors-fear#ixzz1JyrbQag2