Right-wing activists including a convicted January 6 rioter have staged a controversial anti-Islam protest in Dearborn, Michigan, sparking condemnation from local leaders who describe it as a cynical publicity stunt designed to generate social media engagement and political donations.
Provocateurs Target Arab-American Community
On 18 November 2025, a group of far-right influencers descended upon Dearborn, a Detroit suburb with approximately 110,000 residents and home to the United States' highest percentage of Arab-American citizens at around 55%. The protest was led by Jake Lang, a right-wing activist who served a four-year sentence for beating a police officer with a bat during the January 6 Capitol riot before receiving a pardon from former President Trump.
During the demonstration, participants unfurled banners reading "Americans Against Islamification" and attempted to burn a Qur'an while live-streaming the event to their followers. The protest turned particularly ugly when Lang later attended a meeting of Dearborn's Arab-American-majority city council and shouted at members: "Get the fuck out of my country. We don't want you here."
Monetising Hate Through Social Media
According to Dawud Walid, director of CAIR-Michigan, the primary motivation behind such protests is financial gain. "Anti-Muslim bigotry is the only acceptable form of overt bigotry in America and it can reward people monetarily," Walid explained. "People can monetize anti-Muslim bigotry through clicks and donations, so it's not just something that is an issue of hate – hating Muslims pays financial dividends."
The strategy appears to be working for the organisers. Throughout the day of protests, influencers accumulated hundreds of thousands of views on their social media platforms, while Lang used the exposure to promote his bid for a US Senate seat in Florida.
Other participants in the 18 November rally included popular conservative influencers like Cam Higby and members of Charlie Kirk's Turning Point USA. Some protesters shouted racist abuse, with Lang reportedly calling people of colour "chimps" during the march.
Long History of Targeted Harassment
Dearborn's large Arab-American population, comprised heavily of Yemeni and Lebanese communities that settled in the area decades ago for automotive industry jobs, has made it a repeated target for far-right provocateurs.
Abdullah Hammoud, Dearborn's mayor, recounted his personal experiences with such activities: "I grew up in Dearborn, saw evangelists arrive with a pig head, and in 2011 witnessed far right, anti-Islamic pastor Terry Jones' attempt to burn a Qur'an in the city." In 2010, the notorious Westboro Baptist Church also arrived to protest Islam in Dearborn.
The recent controversy stems partly from Hammoud's September statement to right-wing activist pastor Ted Barham, telling him he wasn't welcome in Dearborn. While right-wing media framed this as a Muslim telling a Christian he wasn't welcome in an American city, the context reveals a more complex situation.
Barham and groups he works with are among Christian evangelists who have for years positioned themselves outside Dearborn schools or at parks, luring children with candy, face painting or soccer games before attempting to convert them to Christianity. City residents have grown increasingly frustrated with what they describe as disrespectful activity by these evangelists.
Deliberate Provocation Strategy
Local leaders assert that the protesters employ a classic provocateur tactic: goad locals into confrontation, then claim victimhood. During the recent protests, scuffles broke out between rally participants and a left-wing, largely non-Muslim counter-protest group, with one teenage counter-protester punching Lang.
Some agitators immediately used these encounters to claim that Dearborn was a violent place and that they were assault victims. "They escalate the situation, and they bring cameras and they put it online to show how radical Dearborn is, and they monetize it," Walid observed.
At the start of the nationalists' march, Lang made his intentions clear, stating: "Today we mark America a Christian country. Today we mark America a European western civilization that the Muslims have no part in."
Calls for Ignoring Provocateurs
Both Walid and Hammoud have urged residents and other groups to avoid engaging with anti-Muslim agitators. "They should be ignored," Walid advised, invoking an Arabic proverb: "The lion doesn't turn around when the small dog barks. Let those guys come and howl at the wind, then go back home to where they live."
Walid also called on Republican leaders to condemn the activity, noting that few have done so. "When they stay silent about what these people are doing, it's a silent complicity," he stated.
In the days following the rally, the right-wing media ecosystem has continued to claim victimhood, with far-right figures like Tommy Robinson, Wall Street Apes, and Sidney Powell joining the fray and calling on the justice department to investigate and deport Arab-Americans.
Meanwhile, Lang is already promoting his next rally in Epic City, Texas, another Muslim community development, ensuring the cycle of provocation and monetisation continues.
