Racist rally stirs up community

HOWELL, Mich. (WLNS) – A “White Lives Matter” rally in Howell on Saturday has people defending their city, saying that’s not what they stand for. The city said a group of a dozen people with their faces covered, holding white supremacist signs, chanting “Heil Hitler”, walked down Grand River Avenue.

6 News spoke with people in the area, like Brenda, who said Howell has battled a legacy of racism, but that is all in the past.

“We’re doing so much to change the reputation, working so hard to make our community welcoming and inclusive,” Brenda said. “And when we see hate groups come here, it’s really horrifying quite frankly.”

The city says the rally started on the lawn of the historic Livingston County Courthouse. The rally participants continued walking down Grand River Avenue chanting, but they didn’t pass without scrutiny as community members gave them a piece of their minds.

Their final stop was the Howell Carnegie District Library. The city said that’s where a library board member told the group they did not have permission to be on the property and the group broke apart and got into their cars.

City officials say the rally lasted about 30 minutes and police were able to speak to a few of the demonstrators, finding out that some were from out of town.

Norma Mallon and her husband told 6 News that they feel as long as a rally doesn’t turn violent, anyone should be allowed to express their beliefs.

“Everyone has a right to protest. This is the United States of America. As long as it’s peaceful, fine. Do what you need to,” Mallon said.

The executive director of the Livingston Diversity Council, Nicole Matthews-Creech, says that in the past the city had ties to the KKK. It’s a reputation they can’t seem to shake.

“The community has acknowledged it over the years. And we say we are different. This is the time to actually show we are different,” Matthews-Creech said.

The mayor of Howell, Robert Ellis, told 6 News it was important for the city to release a statement letting the community know that this group does not reflect the values of the city and it condemns the racist ideology.

He says people really got up in arms and made the group know they were not welcome.

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