The Muslim mayor of Dearborn, Michigan, was caught on camera yelling at a resident for objecting to the renaming of a street after a Hezbollah-supporting journalist.
During a September 9 city council meeting, Ted Barhman spoke out against the decision to name a street after Osama Siblani, who has made comments in support of the terrorist group. "I feel like having that sign up there is almost like naming a street Hezbollah Street or Hamas Street. Hezbollah bombed the embassy in Beirut, including many Americans. I just feel it’s quite inappropriate," he said, according to Fox 2 Detroit.
Hammoud responded aggressively, accusing Barham of anti-Muslim bigotry. "You’re an Islamophobe. And although you live here, I want you to know as mayor you are not welcome here. The day you move out of the city will be the day I launch a parade celebrating the fact that you moved out of the city," he shot back.
The mayor continued, claiming that Barham had made “cruel” remarks about mUslims on YouTube. He did not provide any examples.
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A Dearborn, Michigan resident opposed naming a street after pro-Hezbollah figure Osama Siblani
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud responded to the resident: “You do not belong in this city, Islamophobe! Get out!, you are not welcomed here” pic.twitter.com/Eq1vdY2ys8
Siblani responded to the exchange, telling Fox 2 Detroit that “It’s sad that we do not respect each other’s differences.”
"I am an American from a Lebanese background, an Arab background. I’m very proud of my culture and heritage. But I also love this country and what it has done. Only in the United States can you come in 1976 with no money, a one-way ticket, $185 in your pocket, and 50 years later your name is on a street in America,” he added.
Siblani is a prominent figure in the city’s Arab American community. He is the founder and publisher of The Arab American News, which is the oldest bilingual Arab weekly newspaper in the United States. But he has made some controversial remarks about Hezbollah and other terrorist groups.
During a 2022 “Nakba Day rally,” he declared that Dearborn’s Muslim community would “lift Palestinians all the way to victory” and exhorted Muslims to engage in violent activity, including fighting with “stones, guns, planes, drones, and rockets” against Israel.
It’s one thing to allow Siblani to make his odious remarks about Hezbollah and Israel. As reprehensible as they are, the First Amendment protects them. But honoring someone who supports terrorism is ridiculous — and shows exactly where these individuals stand on violent extremism.
Moreover, a mayor castigating a resident for objecting to celebrations of terrorist supporters is also disgusting for someone in Hammoud’s position.