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The mayor of a Michigan town, often referred to as America’s Muslim capital, is retracting a decision after an Arabic-language badge for police officers caused controversy.
Last Wednesday, the city – where approximately 39 percent of the population is of Middle Eastern or North African descent according to the latest Census – presented what was to be an ‘optional’ police badge with Arabic script.
The decision angered many, including GOP Congressman Randy Fine, who called it an example of ‘Sharia Law’ coming to Michigan.
Just two days later, Mayor Bill Bazzi, who hails from Lebanon and supports Donald Trump in the 2024 election, along with local law enforcement, revoked the badge, explaining it was never meant to be official.
‘On Wednesday, September 3rd, information was disseminated from the Dearborn Heights Police Department regarding a digital mock-up of the DHPD patch bearing the department name translated in Arabic script,’ the Dearborn Heights Police said on Facebook.
‘The design mock-up idea showed the words ‘Dearborn Heights Police’ in Arabic and was said to be optional. The patch effort was an internal discussion among some within the police department which was not put forth for consensus or further review.’
They added a statement from Bazzi: ‘Should efforts like this be formally undertaken to make any changes to the Police uniform, it is our goal to include multiple PD stakeholders for a larger conversation, to ensure all are included in the discussion. As we are one PD, each individual’s uniform represents the DHPD as a whole, and therefore merits the review and input of all.’
The police department continued: ‘At this time, this patch addition remains an idea and should NOT have been presented as an official prototype.’
Bill Bazzi (pictured right), the mayor of the Michigan town known as America’s Muslim capital is back-peddling after a new Arabic-language badge for police officers sparked outrage
Last Wednesday, the city – whose population is around 39 percent Middle Eastern or North African as of the most recent Census – introduced what was said to be an ‘optional’ police badge that was scripted in Arabic
Dearborn Heights – as well as the neighboring city of Dearborn – have some of the highest populations of Muslims in the United States.
Dearborn was dubbed the U.S. ‘Jihad Capital’ by The Wall Street Journal and made headlines last year when protesters at a pro-Palestine rally chanted ‘death to America.’
Donald Trump won Michigan in the 2024 election after attending a campaign event with Dearborn Heights Mayor Bazzi and local Imam Belal Alzuhairi in October.
‘We, as Muslims, stand with President Trump because he promises peace, not war,’ Alzuhairi told the crowd of a few thousand, who cheered loudly.
‘The bloodshed has to stop all over the world. And I think this man can make that happen. I personally believe that God saved his life twice for a reason.’
Many voters in Dearborn refused to vote in the primaries because residents are fiercely divided over the war in Gaza.
However, some later came to have second thoughts when the war continued into Trump’s first year back in office.
‘When he came to Dearborn, to the community, he said that he would strive for peace and justice for the whole region,’ said Ibrahima Duhaini, a man who supported Trump.
Two days later, Bazzi – who was born in Lebanon and endorsed Donald Trump in 2024 – and local police walked back the badge and claimed it wasn’t even supposed to be official
After the president started discussing his ‘Trump Gaza’ redevelopment plan, Duhaini began to have regrets.
‘He didn’t say anything like that before,’ he told NPR.
Trump has promoted a controversial vision for what his ‘Riviera of the Middle East’ plan for the Gaza Strip could look like when the war between Israel and Hamas has ended.
The President laid out an extraordinary plan at a press conference with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this month, stating: ‘The US will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too.’
Trump’s proposal was met with global criticism by both lawmakers and analysts who fear the plan would forcibly displace Gaza’s population of two million, while US critics wondered if the President’s vision would plunge the nation into the potentially bloody role of occupying power.
