Pastor Terry Jones Returning to Dearborn, Talking to FOX 2

DEARBORN, Mich. (WJBK) - "We will be holding the protest there in front of City Hall at 5 p.m. on Friday," Pastor Terry Jones told FOX 2 by phone.

Jones is coming back to Michigan to finish the protest he never started, this time with a new emphasis on freedom of speech.

"What happened there has definitely awakened many Americans," said Jones.

The Koran-burning, Florida pastor had planned to protest radical Islam and Sharia law in front of the Islamic Center of America last Friday. Instead, he and an associate pastor ended up in court and then jail because a jury said they might incite a riot.

He's now appealing and filing a federal lawsuit alleging a violation of his First Amendment rights. He'll be demonstrating at Dearborn City Hall on Friday and says he's getting a lot of support.

"So, the attempt to silence you has really only made your voice that much stronger," FOX 2's Amy Lange asked Jones.

"That I think you could definitely say, yes," he responded.

Jones says he'll be meeting with the Dearborn chief of police when he arrives on Thursday and that he fears for his safety.

Last week, his gun went off in the parking lot of FOX 2 following his appearance on "Let It Rip". He had accidentally fired it in his rental car.

"We'll definitely be bringing our weapons, and we are definitely concerned about our safety," Jones said. "Since this whole thing that's happened, we have also received several more death threats."

"He wants to incite hostility, and he want to have a negative reaction to prove his case," said Imad Hamad.

Hamad heads the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. He supports the pastor's right to free speech, but not his anti-Muslim message. He's hoping metro Detroiters will choose to stay away.

"I call upon all fellow Arab-Americans, Muslim-Americans and Americans to simply ignore him, simply not even bother to think about his presence in the city this week or any other time," Hamad said.

Dearborn Mayor John O'Reilly declined our request for an interview, but did issue a four page statement affirming the city's support for free speech while also explaining the city's actions in this case, so far. You can read it in its entirety below.