EAST LANSING, Mich. — In light of a peaceful protest planned for today in East Lansing, City of East Lansing leadership has issued the following statements:
“Like everyone, I was disgusted and angered by the murder of Mr. George Floyd caused by the actions and inactions of the officers in Minneapolis. Over the last week, we have seen many planned and spontaneous protests on behalf of Mr. Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement. People are angry, frustrated and need to be heard, and I support any and all peaceful protests. Government has a unique role in serving all of its citizens and we need to be particularly mindful of the legitimate concerns that have been raised regarding the treatment of people of color in our community. We are already in the process and have been actively seeking to involve all members of our community, specifically people of color, in our mission to continue to improve law enforcement in East Lansing.” – East Lansing City Manager George Lahanas
“We fully support people exercising their right to protest over the brutal and senseless murder of Mr. George Floyd. Mr. Floyd’s legacy will lead to lasting, positive change of the law enforcement profession and how we interact with our community. I assure you: we are listening. We urge people to remain non-violent during these protests and treat each other with dignity and respect.” – Interim East Lansing Police Chief Steve Gonzalez