A Republican gubernatorial candidate is spreading misinformation and stoking anti-Muslim sentiment ahead of a planned march in Dearborn that he’s calling the “American Crusade.”
Anthony Hudson, a truck driver from Grand Blanc Township and self-described “America First” candidate, has used his social media platforms to portray Dearborn as a threat, falsely suggesting the Detroit suburb is facing “Muslim infiltration” and “Sharia law.”
In a series of posts on X, Hudson announced plans for a “peaceful assembly” in Dearborn on Tuesday, calling on “patriots” to join him at Schaefer Road and Michigan Avenue at 4 p.m. He has repeatedly invoked Christian nationalist language, writing, “CHRIST WILL NOT BE MOCKED.” He also vowed to “expose Dearborn for what it is.”
Hudson has also claimed that the National Guard, Marines, and a “Patriot Militia” will attend the march, though no official agencies have confirmed any involvement.
The group plans to pray and sing gospel music before attending a Dearborn City Council meeting at 7 p.m.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Hudson wildly claimed he was the GOP’s frontrunner and that 5,000 “patriots” will march with him. But on the Facebook page for the event, only 20 people said they were going.
“we won’t be leaving until a peace treaty is reached,” Hudson wrote. “Mark my words. The world is watching. We need all patriots there.”
He continued, “No backing down. No surrender. We the people will not be mocked, & neither will Christ.”
In another post, Hudson wrote that “Sharia law will be banned.”
Despite Hudson’s claims, Sharia law has never been practiced in Dearborn, nor would it be legally permissible under the U.S. Constitution. The city’s roughly 106,000 residents include Christians, Muslims, and non-religious people, with about 55% of Arab descent and an estimated 50,000 residents who are not Muslim.
Other X users have mocked Muslims or encouraged bigotry in replies to Hudson’s posts. One suggested, “Bring bacon bits….it’s like sprinkling holy water on a demon.”
Hudson responded, “They are demons lol.”
Another X user suggested bringing dogs, while others used pejoratives to describe Muslims.
The planned march follows the arrest of three young Dearborn men accused of plotting an ISIS-inspired attack on an LGBTQ+-friendly venue in Ferndale. Federal prosecutors say the men discussed the idea online but were stopped before carrying out any violence. Defense attorneys maintain there was no plan and that the defendants were engaging in online bravado.
Using the isolated and yet-proven case to justify his divisive rhetoric, Hudson falsely claimed there was Muslim “infiltration everywhere.”
Hudson insisted, “CHRIST WILL PREVAIL. LIGHT WILL WIN.”
On Tuesday, Hudson added fuel to the fire by posting a video of an anti-Muslim protest from 2011 in Dearborn, where Quran-burning Pastor Terry Jones taunted Muslims, leading to the arrests of a handful of counter-protesters.
“REMEMBER: THIS IS HOW THEY REALLY TREAT CHRISTIANS,” Hudson fumed. “DON’T LET THEM FOOL YOU. THEY HATE YOU. THEY DO NOT WANT PEACE. LIGHT WILL WIN.”
Since the FBI arrests, many right-wingers have been stoking fears with baseless and outrageous claims about Dearborn and Muslims. In a series of videos posted by conspiracy theorist Mellissa Carone, who was parodied on Saturday Night Live for her outlandish testimony as Rudy Giuliani’s “star” witness during a legislative election-fraud hearing, the bombastic Trump supporter alleged Muslims are intolerant and violent. She also inflated the Muslim population in Dearborn.
“A woman cannot walk down the street of east Dearborn and not get harassed in some way or even spit on,” Carone claimed. “I’ve seen friends of mine get spit on for not covering their hair and their face. You will not pass a building that is not written in Arabic. You cannot read anything. It’s like being in a third world country.”
The video was retweeted by Hudson and Wall Street Apes, another right-wing troll account that has 1.2 million followers. The video received 2.7 million views, leading to a barrage of Islamophobia.
Hudson also made national news for the march and was interviewed Tuesday by right-wing “news” site Newsmax.
Others mocked Hudson for his absurd, conspiratorial claims.
“Just looks like a fat guy with cardiovascular issues making his beard go grey prematurely,” Anthony Jorah wrote on X. “What’s he protecting us from, dessert?”
Hudson’s remarks have also drawn concern from civil rights advocates who warn that such language can incite harassment and deepen divisions.
“Unfortunately, Mr. Hudson is playing the politics of fear to apparently gain himself publicity,” Dawud Walid, executive director of the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), tells Metro Times. “Every city in Michigan, including Dearborn, is under the jurisdictions of the American and Michigan constitutions. We encourage the citizens of Dearborn not to take the bait of this individual and his acolytes who will attempt to provoke angry responses in order to demonize Muslims.”
Whether Hudson’s vitriolic, inflammatory, and divisive rhetoric can drum him up some votes isn’t yet clear. He has no statewide name recognition, and he’s facing well-known Republicans, including former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox, U.S. Rep. John James, former Michigan House of Representatives Speaker Tom Leonard, and Michigan Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt. Other GOP candidates are construction manager William Null, Pastor Ralph Rebandt, and political organizer Karla Wagner.
Beyond his odious rhetoric, Hudson is pushing a platform that would gut funding for schools, universities, police, health care, parks, libraries, and infrastructure. He has vowed to eliminate both the state income tax and property taxes, a proposal that economists say would devastate Michigan’s ability to fund essential services. The state income tax, which generates roughly $9 billion a year, accounts for most of the state’s general fund and a significant share of the School Aid Fund, which supports K-12 education. Without that revenue, lawmakers would have to slash spending or find new sources of funding for numerous resources and services.
Property taxes bring in about $18.8 billion annually, according to the Michigan Tax Commission, and serve as the lifeblood of local governments. They fund police and fire departments, libraries, parks, local road repairs, and public schools. Eliminating property taxes would strip cities, counties, and school districts of their primary revenue source and leave them unable to pay for basic operations unless the state imposed new taxes elsewhere.
Combined, property and income taxes make up more than half of Michigan’s total tax revenue. Scrapping both would create a multibillion-dollar hole in the state’s budget and cripple services.
Hudson declined to comment for this story, saying he wasn’t available until Friday.
Neither Dearborn police nor Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud returned calls for comment.