Supply chain management sophomore Steve Cleaves-Jones chants and lays down in the middle of Grand River Ave. in protest Dec. 6, 2014, during a protest which went down Grand River Ave., to the MSU Union and ended to the Beaumont Tower. The group of students shut down Grand River Ave., in East Lansing by marching and laying down in the middle of the street in protest of police violence against black people. Erin Hampton/The State News
—Stopping traffic more than four times, swarms of students protested for one purpose – to “shut shit down.”
As many as 250 students protested with signs and unified chants on Grand River Avenue, at the Breslin Center, the Student Union and the Main Library.
Protesters wanted to raise awareness on campus of what they feel has been displays of injustice across the country pertaining to the death of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, which sparked public outcries across the county bringing attention to police brutality and racism.
Education senior Patrick Harris said the protest destinations were strategic.
“Grand River (Avenue) receives most of the heavy traffic on campus,” Harris said. “MSU Union was hosting the craft show and it’s finals week so everybody is trying to study. But Mike Brown didn’t get a chance to study.”
On Grand River Avenue, students participated in a "die-in," which consisted of lying down in the street stopping traffic.
After traffic was halted, police officers began to arrive. Multiple students lying the street said they were willing to be arrested if the protest escalated.
Black Student Alliance President and journalism senior Rashad Timmons said that the protesters are done for today, but they are not done protesting what they feel to be a grave injustice against people of color.
“We move until society moves,” Timmons said.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
