Dearborn protesters say Biden not welcome ahead of campaign visit

A crowd of Arab Americans protested Wednesday night inside a Dearborn high school against President Joe Biden's scheduled Thursday visit to Michigan, urging people not to vote for him because of his support for Israel's attacks in Gaza.

"We are not interested in conversations with this campaign and this administration," said Dearborn attorney Amer Zahr, a Palestinian American activist who helped organize the rally at Fordson High. "They have to call for a ceasefire. He could make a phone call tomorrow and put an end to all this. He has chosen not to. ... President Biden, we say quite clearly: you are not welcome in our community."

Zahr told the crowd to remember Biden's actions during elections: "Are we going to forget?" he asked them. "No!" they roared back in response. Zahr's comments were applauded by the crowd, many of whom were holding up signs that read "Abandon Biden" and "Ceasefire Now."

Biden is to hold an event with the UAW union in Michigan on Thursday. Last week, his campaign manager visited Dearborn and spoke at the offices of The Arab American News with its publisher, Osama Siblani, but some Arab American and elected officials such as Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud refused to meet with her.

During the 90-minute rally at Fordson High, the crowd chanted: "Biden, Biden, you can't hide, we charge you with genocide," "Genocide Joe" and "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free."

The rally was organized and supported by New Generation for Palestine, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, the Arab American Political Action Committee, The Arab American News and the Arab American Civil Rights League. In addition to protesting Biden, the rally was organized to thank South Africa, Lebanon, and Yemen for their support of Palestinians. Israel has launched some attacks in southern Lebanon, an area where thousands in Dearborn have roots. The U.S. has attacked some areas in Yemen in response to attacks on ships by Houthi forces.

"Thank you to the brothers and sisters in Lebanon, thank you to the resistance there," Zahr said. "Thank you to the brothers and sisters in South Africa" for bringing a legal case against Israel to an international court, Zahr added, which brought a standing ovation.

Last week, a preliminary ruling by the U.N.’s International Court of Justice in South Africa’s case accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza ordered Israel to do all it can to prevent death, destruction and any acts of genocide against Palestinians in the territory. The Palestinian Health Ministry Health Ministry in Gaza says more than 26,700 Palestinians have been killed since Oct. 7, when a Hamas attack on Israel killed about 1,200. Israel says it has killed more than 9,000 militants during the campaign and accuses Hamas of embedding in civilian areas.

Before the Fordson rally, Dearborn community activist Sam Luqman handed out fliers in English and Arabic that told voters not to vote for Biden and instead to vote uncommitted, write in 'Free Palestine,' or vote for another candidate. About 150 people attended the protest. Another group of Arab American advocates also plan to speak out Thursday morning at the Greenfield Manor against Biden.

Abed Hammoud, a Dearborn attorney and former federal prosecutor who helped establish the Arab American Political Action Committee in 1997, said at the Fordson rally he is a Democrat who voted for Biden in 2020, but will not this year.

"I've always voted Democrat," Hammoud said. "But there is no way Biden is going to get my vote. It's not going to happen because Biden is complicit in a genocide, Biden is complicit in a war that makes no sense. He should just stop this war."

Nasser Beydoun, a Dearborn businessman and candidate for Senate who has been outspoken against Israel, also spoke at the rally.

"The community has made a decision that Joe Biden is not our nominee," Beydoun said.

Arab Americans in Dearborn have also protested other Democrats in Michigan, including Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who canceled a visit to Dearborn last year after some planned to protest because of her strong support of Israel.

Some have said Michigan's Middle Eastern voters could make an impact if the presidential election is close. There was already backlash against Biden and the Democrats before Israel's attacks after Oct. 7.

In May 2021, Zahr spoke out against Biden at an Arab American rally protesting his visit to Dearborn at a time when Israel was in a previous battle with Palestinians. And in 2022, Democratic candidates such as Whitmer lost significant support in some Dearborn precincts amid debate over social issues.

It's unclear where in Michigan Biden's event with the UAW will be held. The president of the UAW, Shawn Fain, has called for a cease-fire and in a speech last month in a Detroit church on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, compared U.S. support for attacks on Gaza to the Vietnam War, which he noted was opposed by King in a 1967 speech.

"Today, we find our government backing destruction of lives and villages not in Vietnam, but in Gaza," Fain said.

At a White House press briefing Wednesday, a reporter asked White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre about the concerns of Arab Americans in Michigan over Gaza. Jean-Pierre replied by saying White House officials have been in touch with Arab American and Muslim leaders in Michigan, adding that "Israel has a right to defend itself."

In his speech Thursday, Zahr mentioned Jean-Pierre's comments, which drew boos from the audience.

"This is the message coming from the Biden administration to us," Zahr said. "Nothing has changed since Oct. 7. In fact, they've only become more entrenched in their support for this genocide."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Contact Niraj Warikoo: nwarikoo@freepress.com or X @nwarikoo.