Weekend Rallies Planned In Detroit
DETROIT (WWJ) - It's been loud in Lansing these past few days, with people from all over Michigan taking their concerns to lawmakers. This weekend, more than one protest will take place in Detroit.
WWJ CityBeat Reporter Vickie Thomas says one event, expected to be a huge rally, is planned for 1 p.m. Saturday at Triumph Baptist Church on East Grand Blvd. as Detroiters demand a say about what's happening in their city.
"We expect a packed church, standing room only," said Ernest Johnson, head of the Community Coalition.
"We've got some powerful speakers, and then we're going to plan on organizing to keep this momentum going and don't stop," he said.
Johnson said he believes the moment will grow, because the issues are critical. "We're rallying to save our water, save our pension and save our schools," Johnson said.
Another rally is planned for 1 p.m. Saturday at New Harvest Ministries on Puritan.
"We think that (Detroit Mayor Dave Bing) is giving the city away, and we're not going to let him do this. We don't like the fact that he is forcing the council's hand into the casino becoming a headquarters for the police department -- we're not accepting that," event organizer Gloria Jones said.
"We're not accepting the police officers being rewarded to come back (to live in Detroit). They left on their own. They fought to leave and we're not going to sit back and let them come back in these luxury houses," she said.
Jones said her group may organize sit-ins and a march down Woodward Avenue if it comes to that.
