Saturday, June 19, 2010

Acts 17 In Dearborn City Jail

*****Click here for a complete summary of our experience in Dearborn.*****

Yes, you heard it here first, folks. David and I, along with Negeen and Paul Rezkalla, were arrested and spent last night in jail. It is a long story which we will elaborate in full detail when we can, and we will post footage when the police give us back our cameras.

But to take the edge off your curiosity, here are some basics: Paul, David, Negeen, and I went to the festival to see and comment on the situation. Thankfully, we recorded every second of our activity at the festival. At one point, we came across a festival volunteer who seemed to take issue with us simply being at the festival. We could tell he had a problem with us, and so we asked "What are we doing wrong?" He said "Put the camera and microphone down, and I'll tell you." (By the way, there was more to this conversation, but when you see the footage, I think you'll see I'm being fair in my summary.) So I obliged, handing the microphone to David and asking him to not record the man. I then approached him and said "No camera, no mic, tell me what we're doing wrong", he said "Get away from me!" (or something to that effect). Again, I obliged, and walked away.

About 20 minutes later, to shouts and cheers of "Allahu Akbar!" we were all being led away from the festival in handcuffs. From the brief description we were given by the police of why we were being arrested, it sounds like the festival volunteer said we surrounded him and didn't give him an opportunity to leave, thereby "breaching the peace." This is as blatantly false as an accusation can get.

Last year, security lied about us and we got kicked out of the festival. We had it all on tape, so we were able to vindicate ourselves. This year, a volunteer lied about us, and we got thrown into jail. But when we get our footage back, we'll be able to vindicate ourselves again.

Here's what gets me though: people are getting very offended by the simple fact that we're taking cameras with us wherever we go. But if it weren't for the cameras, no one would know the truth of what is happening in Dearborn!

And what is happening in Dearborn? Don't get me wrong, I met a ton of awesome people at the festival today. But it seems like every time we come to this city, we encounter people who would lie at the drop of a hat to advance their own agendas, regardless of whether they will be proven false! I have been many places throughout this country, but never have I seen such a predilection for deception. What is it about this specific city that makes people act this way?

I am worried about Dearborn, my friends, and I'm worried about our nation. Let us be in prayer. More details to come as our journey unfolds.

Update

Apparently someone took pictures of us right we were getting arrested. We're getting the pictures right now. I'll post them as they come.


Me preaching the Gospel to people who had approached me and asked me to share my message with them.

David filming me from afar

David being put in handcuffs and led away

Update 2

Here is a statement from the gentlemen who took these photos:

I, Richard (last name removed for privacy) from Dallas, TX, was a witness to the events that took place at about 9:15pm-9:25pm on June 18, 2010 in Dearborn, MI at the Arab Festival. Here it is as i saw it:

I saw Nabeel Qureshi in the midst of a crowd of about twenty teenagers and young adult Muslims. David Wood and Paul were video taping Nabeel and the young Muslims dialog. Police officers, about four, were present acting as a shield protecting Nabeel from a crowd closing in tighter. The entire dialog seemed very peaceful and productive. i did not hear the police officers tell Nabeel or David to stop. The conversation with Nabeel began to wind down. I was able to speak with Nabeel a little to encourage him. At this point the crowd began to break up and the police also walked away. Another young adult Muslim began conversing with Nabeel and the crowd began to come back together. Finally, the police officers returned, about five or six of them, and surrounded David, Nabeel, and Paul. I thought they were going to protect Nabeel and the other brothers, but without warning, the police, rather gently but still forcibly, began taking hold of the camcorders. They arrested all three of the men and escorted them away at the sound of applause by some of the surrounding Muslims.

Update 3

We'll be on Jesus or Muhammad tonight at 11, discussing the arrest at Dearborn.

210 comments:

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hugh watt said...

Fatima:

"You do realize if you are in on a plot for example lets say a burglary. If you know about it or if you are in on it, you were an accessory to it."

Would that include following Koranic false teaching regarding the Trinity?
You really should follow the plot a bit more closely, there were a number of further developments to this saga. I guess if you want to make your point based upon what you want to see and not what took place, well, that's you're business.

Fatima Hassan said...

Wait, I did see the rest and I wrote up to i think 12 points.
"Would that include following Koranic false teaching regarding the Trinity?
You really should follow the plot a bit more closely, there were a number of further developments to this saga. I guess if you want to make your point based upon what you want to see and not what took place, well, that's you're business."


I think you're confused, brother noone is talking about the trinity. I wasn't even talking about religon. I was saying, IF someone does something that breaks the rules,if you were part of it, then you are an accessory. I'm talking about law. And to your last point, I looked at it all. I think it's stupid to judge someone from one point of veiw wheather they are christian or muslim. Which is why i read the article David showed me and I wrote a lot more i wrote TWELVE points about it all and asked for correction if I made a mistake. So where am i wrong? Please tell me. I'm not even talking about the trinity in this subject, We're talking about the Dearborn incident. How can you say I want to see what I like or whatever when I am ASKING for corretion if I made a mistake? I hope you get to see my 12 points soon so you know I did read the entire thing and asked questions TO them, just to understand it. If they recieved insults or hostility from security I admit that was wrong. I really don't understand where you are coming from with the trinity in this. Care to explain please? Thanks, May Allah bless you. Salam


-Fatima Hassan

Michelle Qureshi said...

Fatima--

I will give brief responses to your questions.

1: Not all Muslims are good Muslims, but these people can still do things in the name of (and according to Islam.)

2: Please read the asbab-an-nuzool concerning 9:29. Muhammad was not talking about non-Muslims who weren't paying the Jizya in an Islamic state; this verse came with the command to attack Romans, north of the Arabian border. If you can't find it yourself, search for and read Ibn Kathir's "Al-Bidayah wan-Nihaya"

3: A school is not a public street. There are areas that are specifically protected for speech purposes, and public streets are amongst the most protected. I see your analogy, but you need to learn more about the law.

4: We can't just go flying up to Michigan every other second! We're not rich; in fact, I'm hard pressed to find people that are in as much debt as David and I are. Besides, if the police could enforce their absence from future festivals, that was more than we could hope to accomplish.

5: The festival was in charge of recruiting and training their security.

6: In fact, we followed every single rule. Name one that we didn't. It seems you are not paying close attention to the details here.

7: Same as above. Besides, on this one you're even more incorrect. The policeman needs to follow the rules of the city and state. He did not.

8: Yes, but there was no law broken here. And there's really no such thing as "accomplice to disturbing the peace."

9: I don't understand what you're saying.

10: Okay.

11: He's a pastor in Dearborn.

12: Neither Sam nor Walid are a part of Acts 17. You really need to get some of these basic facts straight.

My conclusion is: you didn't pay enough attention to what has happened here, and you have drawn incorrect conclusions on account of it. I hope and pray that your eyes will be opened, dear friend.

Sincerely,
-Nabeel

Unknown said...

Why isn't Christian festival is organized in Dearborn, just to see what happens? If Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance you should go down with your business with no fuzz at all!

Unknown said...

Whys isn't a Christian festival is organized in Dearborn, just to see what happens? If Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance, you should go down with your business with no fuzz.

Fatima Hassan said...

Quick mistake, not answering muslims, "Jesus or Muhammed is what I meant to say about the whole "group"

Pastor Larry said...

Most of you new testament [Christians]or the easy Jesus crowd dont have a clue what Jesus would do,You sit ib your coffee shops and four walls of your church and complain when someone goes out to defend and contend for the faith.Christianity is offensive because its only one way.
One person mention Josh McDowell give me a break know why hes not being persecuted? because hes not living Godly Bible lesson 101 2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. HELLO you bunch of religicide rebels dont you know your Bible? Our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus suffered persecutions! This just in – the world absolutely HATES the Gospel message, the teachings of Christ, and the non-believers of this world will make every attempt to destroy ANYONE who disagrees with them. W.ho W. ould J. esus D.estroy
Stop cutting down and critiquize Us frontline soldiers for the faith
either lead or follow or shut up.You give him lip service -we give him life service ever read this in your Bible you mamby pamby Christians that say if you need me I will be at the coffee table heres verse Acts 15:26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Why? because we happen to love him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength -how about you?

Fatima Hassan said...

I did respond to you Nabeel, just so everyone and you guys know. Maybe you didn't get my response? But if you did, could you post it? Thanks.

Also, care to explain this fake fatwa given about thighing?

-Fatima Hassan

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Contrariwise said...

Wow. Just bizarre. Not just what happened in Dearborn, but some of the reactions to this. You can attend an event like this as a Christian as long as you don't answer questions from Muslims honestly about your faith? The Christians must be have done something they are not admitting because the police wouldn't arrest someone based on somebody's lies? This is why this happened in Dearborn. Because people actually think this way. This is the thinking that allows the authorities to perpetrate this. How much time before the authorities start wiping the videos they confiscate? If nothing changes, less than a generation by the look of it.

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