Close to 1,000 people gathered at the Capitol Sunday to protest police brutality six days after George Floyd, a 46-year old black man, died in police custody after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes.
Floyd, who was handcuffed and face-down on the ground, repeatedly said, “I can’t breathe.”
Floyd’s death sparked police brutality protests across the nation, some of which were violent and resulted in the burning of dozens of buildings and looting of hundreds of others.
About a hundred people gathered at the Lansing Capitol at 11 a.m. but the group significantly swelled as others joined, with organizers repeatedly urging against violence and vandalism.
Protesters chanted, “No justice, no peace. No racist … police.”
The group was mainly peaceful and avoided trampling the flowers planted on the Capitol lawn.
Protesters marched downtown where police blocked off some roads and honked in support, Lansing residents laid out water and snacks and stood on porches with one fist raised in solidarity.
State officials encouraged peaceful protests.
“Relief will not come from smashing windows,” Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist said in a Sunday video. “Relief won’t come from tweets alone.”
Lansing Police Chief Daryl Green Sunday morning called Floyd’s death “despicable” and said they “stand firm” with law enforcement across the nation that refuse to tolerate police brutality.
“We are all grieving the loss of this young man as a result of the egregious actions and inactions of four Minneapolis police officers,” he said.
Those officers were fired, and one was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.
Michigan State Police Lt. Brian Oleksyk told The Center Square, “The majority of the morning has been very, very calm,” he said at 1:46 p.m.
Kenedi Dubose, a Michigan State University senior studying advertising management and entrepreneurship, said that police brutality is deeper than kicks, bruises and scratches.
“We are talking about murders,” Dubose said. “People whose hearts stop beating and never beat again.”
Dubose said the underlying issue had nothing to do with being against police officers or pinning black people versus white people.
“That’s not what this is about in any way, shape, or form… We are not against the cops; we are against people who do not hold others accountable for their actions,” Dubose said.
