Lansing Mayor Andy Schor has released a statement about how the city will respond to protests like this week’s “Operation Gridlock” if they reoccur.
On Wednesday, traffic throughout much of downtown Lansing was tied up for several hours by protesters calling on Gov. Whitmer to ease stay-at-home orders. Access to Sparrow Hospital was restricted, and there were also concerns about people congregating without masks at the state Capitol building and elsewhere.
In a statement, Mayor Schor says Michigan residents have a right to protest, but they “do not have the right to violate the rights of city of Lansing workers and residents.”
He says that if there are similar protests, Lansing will seek mutual aid from other police, fire and EMS agencies nearby, and that police will warn or cite violators of city ordinances related to noise or purposely blocking roads.
Lansing Police will also assist the Michigan State Police if called upon to enforce social distancing violations on state property like the Capitol building.