Christians use Arab festival as platform

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DEARBORN, Mich., June 16 (UPI) -- Christian missionaries reportedly taunted Muslims attending the annual Arab International Festival in Dearborn, Mich., telling them they would "burn in hell."

While there was no serious violence Friday night, some young Muslims threw plastic bottles and cans at the Christians and one poured water on a missionary who said the Muslims were "transgressing against God," the Detroit Free Press reported Saturday.

The Christians have become a regular feature of the festival, held in the largest Arab-American community in the United States, the newspaper said.

Signs carried by the Christians included one that read "Islam is a religion of blood and murder" and another with a drawing of a pig's head.

At least two Christian groups were present Friday. One took a gentler approach, handing out religious literature and urging Muslims to accept Jesus without denigrating Islam.

Festival organizers said they did not expect the more anti-Muslim group to return Saturday because they were scheduled to move on to a gay festival in Ohio.