UPDATE: Quran-Burner Terry Jones' Upcoming Dearborn Protest Ignites Fear of Violence

If highly controversial Quran-burning Florida Pastor Terry Jones comes to town this Friday, there will be one thing on the minds of city and county officials: public safety.

But a complaint filed April 15 by the Wayne County prosecutor's office with the may stop the demonstration in its tracks.

The Associated Press reported Monday evening that Dearborn Judge Mark Somers has ordered Jones to appear in court this Thursday for questioning about the event, which the prosecutor's office and Dearborn officials both believe is likely to incite violence.

The hearing is set for 3 p.m.

Dearborn Mayor Jack O’Reilly, for one, said he’s concerned that the pastor may have plans for martyrdom.

“On a couple national interviews, he’s talked about potentially being a martyr,” O’Reilly said. “I’m just hoping that in his own twisted way, he doesn’t think that’s going to be something he can offer the world is his martyrdom to begin to eradicate Muslims or something.”

Jones is planning to protest what he says is "the rise of Sharia law" outside the , the largest mosque in the United States. Dearborn also has one of the highest concentrations of Arab-Americans in the country.

O’Reilly said that the city is aware that Jones and his followers are known for openly carrying guns on their protests as a means of asserting their Second Amendment rights. His concern is that someone else may be carrying a weapon, too. But it’s not enough to take legal action to stop Jones from protesting.

“You can’t act before someone does something illegal,” O’Reilly said. “You can only act after or at the time they begin to do something illegal. That’s the critical aspect of this.”

Jones had originally latched himself onto a protest by a Michigan-based group, the Order of the Dragon. However, that group that they were canceling their plans.

Still, Jones vows that he will come to Dearborn the afternoon of Good Friday to demonstrate in front of the —with or without a city permit. The planned protest has city officials wringing their hands over how to address the situation, especially in regard to the safety of citizens.

O’Reilly said that the city and public safety officials are trying to think through all the ways they can ensure public safety–most of them centered around being ready to react to any problems as quickly as possible.

“We can’t know the mental state of anybody … and people can be armed,” O’Reilly said. “So how much time do you have in a crowded, noisy group to see someone pull out their gun and fire?

“We’re really, really concerned.”

Escalating Events Point to Possibility for Violence

Jones, leader of the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, FL, is most widely known for his attacks on Islam. Those attacks began in the fall of last year during discussions by New York City officials about possibly allowing a mosque to be built near the Ground Zero site of the Sept. 11 attacks.

At that time, Jones planned “Burn a Quran Day,” during which he intended to set fire to 200 of the Muslim holy books. He eventually backed down from his plan, but went through with publicly burning a copy of the book on March 20.

That’s when things really heated up for the already-infamous Jones.

His Quran-burning actions are widely believed to have directly stoked violence in Afghanistan in early April. The riots resulted in more than 20 deaths, including several United Nations workers.

The burning also resulted in hundreds of death threats for Jones. “Right now, we have a little over 300 threats,” Jones told ABC news on April 4. The FBI also said Hezbollah has a $2.4-million bounty on his head.

Still, Jones has told media that he will hold the Good Friday demonstration in front of the Islamic Center of America to protest what he believes is the institution of “radical Islam” and Sharia law in the city. “Now is the time that we make a very, very clear statement to radical Islam," he said on his website.

Encouraging Peaceful Protest

Other than having police ready to react, O’Reilly said the city’s main plan of action is to encourage protestors–as long as they’re peaceful.

Jones will only be legally permitted to protest at the designated free-speech zone at Dearborn’s , after Dearborn police denied permits to demonstrate outside of the Islamic Center due to safety concerns. However, Jones has publicly stated that he still plans to make an appearance at the mosque–permit or not.

According to O’Reilly, Jones will technically be breaking the law if he does so, but the city will not arrest him as long as he is not disturbing the peace.

The protest is planned for 5 p.m. April 22, during a time when many people of Christian faith will be headed to Good Friday services. The mosque sits on Altar Road, which is home to several churches where services will be held. Additionally, O’Reilly believes that the chance of the protest involving just Jones and a few onlookers and media is slim.

“Conceivably, if he showed up and went onto the grassy area that’s south of Altar Road and stood there with a couple people, we’d have to evaluate,” O’Reilly said. If the expected throngs of media and onlookers had space to be there safely, "would we arrest him? I kind of don’t think so. But it’s so unlikely because of all the publicity that it’d be just him and a few people standing there.”

O’Reilly said he hopes to keep supporters of Jones at City Hall, and relegate counter-protestors to the free-speech zone located at Michigan Avenue and Greenfield Road.

“What I’m really concerned about and what we’re trying to avoid is the confrontation of the two opposing ideologies,” O’Reilly said. “It’s one thing to have free speech, but that does not include threatening others. Free speech stops when people threaten other people, or when they threaten peace and security.”

But while the city is urging against interaction between supporters of Jones and opponents, O’Reilly said he’s being “a realist” about the situation.

“If Pastor Jones came here and it was dull and a nonstory because there was nothing really, there was no pushback–if that happened, I’d be happy,” he said. “But my prediction is it won’t.”

Several counterprotests and peaceful demonstrations have already been announced.

A community gathering at the Islamic Center of America is set for 4-7 p.m. Thursday, April 21. On Friday, April 22, a press conference will be held at 10 a.m. at the center, followed by a 2 p.m. prayer and a community gathering at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center.

Additionally, the InterFaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit will be hosting a prayer vigil and silent procession at the Islamic Center at 4 p.m. Thursday.

"We are inviting clergy and lay people from the metropolitan Detroit region to stand together in the spirit of cooperation and harmony, the essential basis of this great country," said Robert Bruttell, chair of the Interfaith Leadership Council, in a release. "We are calling on people to reject fear and intolerance, and to embrace the idea of doing to others as we would have them do to us."