Protesters resume marches to Lansing mayor's home, continue calls for his resignation

LANSING – Protesters Sunday resumed their regular marches to Lansing Mayor Andy Schor's home and continued calls for his resignation.

Protesters with We the Free People of Lansing Sunday night again marched to Schor's house in a continued effort to get him to resign, citing the mayor's inaction on reforms protesters have demanded since June.

Aside from Schor's resignation, protesters have pushed city officials to defund the police department, reinvest in community organizations, reform police practices and how they interact with the minority community, and diversify hiring.

More:'We won't be ignored': Protesters push Lansing mayor for action

“We’re going to be a regular occurrence,” Paul Birdsong, an organizer of We the Free People of Lansing.

Marchers Sunday night started at the Capitol winding their way to the mayor's home. When they rang Schor's doorbell, the mayor did not answer.

The Lansing Police Department kept its distance from protesters Sunday, usually with a single cruiser passing by the group or parked around the block as they marched toward Schor's house.

Birdsong said Schor's inaction only continues the cycle of police brutality and discrimination against people of color in Lansing.

“We want to completely take apart the police force,” Birdsong said. “He’s in the way.”

Schor is still investing in the police force instead of using that money to support educational programs that support minority communities, Birdsong said.

A Schor spokesperson provided a written statement when the State Journal asked to speak with Schor Monday, saying the mayor stands by his work to improve racial issues in the city.

"Lansing will be a leader in ensuring racial justice and equity. I am proud of the many steps that we have taken already, and our Racial Justice and Equity Alliance will listen to people and recommend further actions," Schor said in the statement. "I welcome everyone to provide input and participate in that process as we move Lansing forward." 

Since protests began in Lansing after George Floyd's death at the hands of police in Minneapolis, Schor's administration has rolled out a series of reforms aimed at what protesters have sought from the city.

City Council member Brandon Betz last week introduced a proposal to create a study committee tasked with reducing the police budget by 50% over the next five years. The committee would also decide how to continue funding police operations on a smaller scale.

More:Lansing council advances police defunding study

The city budgeted $46.5 million for the police department during the upcoming fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2021. Of that figure, roughly $39 million is for personnel.

Within the police department, Chief Daryl Green enacted new policies to stop secondary traffic stops and stops for minor violations, including defective equipment. A second policy change stopped so-called “no-knock” search warrants.

More:How to weigh in as Lansing moves forward with racial justice plan

Schor created a committee to study and make recommendations on how the city can promote racial justice and create reforms within city departments and the police force. Schor said in July he could consider budgetary adjustments.

Birdsong said what Schor has proposed won't solve the problems protesters continue to raise. Nothing changes without consistency and Schor has not showed he's willing to do that, he said.

“Those things will not make any substantive change,” Birdsong said.

Contact reporter Craig Lyons at 517-377-1047 or calyons@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @craigalyons.