Activists join CMU students to march on the Capitol
Activists from eight different Michigan universities joined with Central Michigan University students Thursday to march through the streets of Lansing and up the steps of the Capitol in protest of social justice issues.
President of Student Environmental Alliance Vincent Roncelli helped organize CMU's involvement.
"There were plenty of students working toward this protest," the Armada senior said. "We have been e-mailing organizations on campus, reaching out to professors, setting up rides and figuring out the specific demands for the protest for about a month."
WATCH: Students March on Lansing
Ian Matchett, a University of Michigan alumnus and organizer for the Michigan Student Power Network, led the march and said its purpose was to protest on the last day the legislature is in session before their break. Protesters presented a list of 10 demands — insisting legislators ban fracking, decommission Enbridge Inc.'s Line 5 oil pipeline and institute comprehensive reforms on social policies like immigration, education, LGBTQ issues and race.
"We're trying to build a statewide, student movement," Matchett said. "Right now we're a couple hundred students across the state, and we're trying to bring different movements together."
Petoskey senior Traven Michaels travelled to Lansing Thursday with SEA to demand the Snyder Administration to decommission Enrbidge's Line 5 pipeline, which runs under the Straits in Mackinac.
"Today we're here to show solidarity for the 10 demands we are presenting to lead to a more just and equitable state of Michigan," Michaels said. "We want Enbridge's Line 5 decommissioned, and for fracking to ultimately be banned."
Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is the process of releasing shale gas by fracturing underground rock using a pressurized liquid made of water, sand and chemicals. All hydraulic fracturing in Michigan is regulated by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.
Williamston freshman Raelynn Jewison, also a member of SEA, said Enbridge's Line 5 should have been decommissioned a long time ago.
"We need to protect and conserve our water," Jewison said. "This should have been done forever ago."
Waterford senior and Student Government Association Vice President Mariah Urueta stood on the top step of the entrance to the Capitol building, megaphone in hand, and addressed the crowd. She spoke passionately about the need to decommission Enbridge's Line 5 pipeline.
"In 2010 Enbridge's Kalamazoo River pipeline leaked for days, causing destruction which the whole area of Battle Creek and the Kalamazoo River have never recovered from," Urueta said.
Urueta said Marathon Petroleum Company's oil refinery in Detroit along with a number of waste incinerators within Detroit are prime examples of "environmental racism.
Brad Wurfel, Communications Director for the Department of Enviornmental Quality said that the department is looking into concerns raised about Enbridge's Line 5 pipeline. Since environmentalists raised the issue of the pipeline last year, Michigan's Attorney General started the pipeline task force, which will issue its official report on Line 5 and other disputed pipelines.
"The bottom line is, it's not leaking," Wurfel said. "Line 5 was an engineering marvel when it was built, it is completely different from other pipelines."
Environmental watchdogs have raised concerns that the pipeline is under a particularly vulnerable body of water, and is approximately 60 years old.
"Enrbidge regularly inspects the pipeline and tests it for thin spots," Wurfel said. "The pipeline is in excellent condition."
Wurfel also said it is important to note that Line 5 has never held tar sands crude, which was a focal point of the protest.
"Line 5 can transport light crude and natural gas," he said.
Matchett spoke of the need for a "cohesive care movement" to the backdrop of dozens of students rallying around banners.
"Everyone is talking about rebuilding Michigan," Matchett said. "We want to ensure Michigan is rebuilt as a state young people will want to live in. Right now legislators favor older, wealthier white males. We need to represent everyone."
Education was a primary concern addressed by protesters. One group of students said Michigan is seriously lacking in sexual education curricula, as part of an overarching complaint about Michigan's general educational standards.
"Young people are leaving this state," Matchett said. "We pay to educate them, and then we export them to other states. That's not a future for Michigan."
In 2013, the Detroit Regional Chamber released a report detailing the mobility of graduates of Michigan's 15 public universities, and found that close to 40 percent leave the state.
"This protest is about making democracy work," said Joe Bellgowan of Lansing, senior field organizer for Clean Water Action.
At 300,000 strong, Clean Water Action is Michigan's largest environmental non-profit organization. Members of Clean Water Action joined the march to show solidarity with other environmental organizations protesting environmental policies in Michigan, specifically those which regulate hydraulic fracturing and pipeline oversight.
"This is a nonpartisan issue," Bellgowan said. "Protecting our lakes and waterways isn't the burden of one specific party. This issue is on both sides of he aisle."
Standing amid a crowd of students, Bellgowan said protecting our "most precious resource" can no longer be treated as a question of republicans versus democrats.
"Our job as organizers is to hold the lawmakers accountable regardless of their party," Bellgowan said.
Protesters marched up Michigan Avenue to the Capitol building chanting slogans to represent a multitude of social issues. Leading the parade of ralliers was a group protesting police violence, chanting, "No justice, no peace. No racist police." As the march neared the capitol the various chants and cries converged into a bellowing of, "Hey-ho, these s*****y laws have got to go."
Michigan State Police officers were posted around the grounds of the capitol building to maintain the peaceful nature of the protest. As students crossed the threshold of Capitol Street and entered the grounds, about 10 protesters with signs bearing the message, "black lives matter" began to chant, "F*** the police."
Lt. Brody Boucher of the Michigan State Police, who was at the Capitol for the rally, said part of being an officer of the law is maintaining a thick skin.
"The Capitol Building is the peoples' house," Boucher said. "The police are not the arbiters of free speech, we are here to defend it."
Overall, Roncelli said he was pleased with the results of the march.
"I thought we had a really good turnout," Roncelli said. "Especially since this is the first time we have collectively come together as the Michigan Student Power Network."
