In a press release from the City of Grand Rapids, Mayor Rosalyn Bliss said public safety is her top priority and appreciated the efforts of the Michigan National Guard providing assistance maintaining safety and order.
But at Tuesday’s Committee of the Whole meeting, Grand Rapids City Commissioner, Kurt Reppart, said he did not support the decision bringing in the National Guard arresting people peacefully protesting Sunday and Monday.
“I think it’s imperative that we sit intentionally with the discomfort of these times and what we’ve heard from people’s deep suffering in order to move us in the right direction…this pain and anger that we are seeing and experiencing is real and justified and protests in a wide variety of forms are a very appropriate response.”
Commissioner Senita Lenear says she was not in support of the curfew or the National Guard.
“The federal government tweeted about what the purpose of the National Guard will be and that is: 'anyone who loots should be shot’. To me that was quite clear and it gives me pause and concern about having the National Guard in our city.”
Commissioner Nathaniel Moody was the only commissioner who wanted to keep the curfew at 7pm.
“For me, I think we need to be careful and maintain what we have at this point….I just want to be careful we don’t have any further destruction in our city.”
The state of civil emergency continue but the temporary curfew has expired and the National Guard is moving out of the city.