By Marisa Loranger, News Editor.
Protesters surrounded the Lansing capitol building, Jan. 19, wielding tiki torches and pitchforks. State troopers peered through the front doors and government officials stood in their offices taking pictures of all the people chanting beneath them. Two hours before Governor Rick Snyder addressed Michigan in the annual State of the State address, hundreds of people came together in hopes of helping Flint residents affected by the water crisis.
Chants such as “Clean water is a right — not just for the rich and white” and “Hey hey, ho ho, Rick Snyder has got to go,” were yelled in unison by protesters asking for the governor’s resignation. Protesters brought cases of bottled water for Flint residents while other protesters brought bottles of lead tainted Flint water and asked Snyder to “take a drink of Pure Michigan.
Logan Clark, 20, of Traverse City, explains, “I would like to see Snyder act responsible for his actions. I think being here today will send a message that something needs to be done.”
The protest lasted two hours, ending just 30 minutes into the governor’s address. The national attention brought to the crisis inspired people from all over Michigan to join in protest.
“The tone of the Governor’s speech this year was much different than last year’s,” explains State Representative Vanessa Guerra. “While sitting on the House Floor we could very clearly hear the protesters chanting outside the Capitol building. The Governor didn’t acknowledge the protesters but they were heard by everyone for the majority of his speech.”