Michigan City Sued Over Ramadan Decorations

A lawsuit has been filed against the city of Dearborn, Michigan, and its mayor, Abdullah Hammoud, alleging that the city created a "hostile place for Christians and Jews" by decorating its streets with crescent moons for Ramadan while failing to acknowledge Christian and Jewish holidays.

Margot Cleveland, a senior legal correspondent at The Federalist, filed the suit after her requests to display decorations for other religious holidays were allegedly ignored. Cleveland stated that she observed Ramadan Kareem banners, which she equated to a "happy or blessed Ramadan," during the Lenten season, with Easter approaching and Passover imminent.

"I was shocked, and then I saw the display all by itself — again, the crescent moon," Cleveland told Fox News Digital. She added that Dearborn is a "hostile place for Christians and Jews."

City officials have denied the accusations, issuing a statement affirming their "longstanding commitment to serving all residents fairly and equitably, regardless of faith or background." They added, "Dearborn will continue to uphold the rights and dignity of every resident and remain a city where everyone is treated with fairness, respect, and equal protection under the law."

According to the 2020 US Census, approximately 54.5 percent of Dearborn's population identifies as having Middle Eastern or North African ancestry, and the city is home to one of the largest Muslim populations in the United States.

Cleveland claimed that she repeatedly attempted to contact city officials through various channels, including email and public comment at a city council meeting, to advocate for the inclusion of Christian and Jewish holiday symbols. She alleged that one city council member told her they were instructed not to speak with her. "What I've asked is that the city treat Christians and Jews equally," Cleveland said. "Put up Passover banners, Easter banners, put up a Star of David, put up a cross, do something."

Cleveland also alleged that the police department was selling merchandise featuring Islamic iconography, including T-shirts with the police department's seal and a crescent moon, which she believes stated "Ramadan."

She emphasized that her issue is not with the celebration of Ramadan, but with what she perceives as the city and mayor's failure to equally represent all religions. She stated that while residents of Dearborn get along well, her grievance lies with the city's official holiday representation.