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East Grand Rapids commissioners condemn ‘It’s okay to be white’ fliers

Posted at 10:34 PM, Nov 06, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-06 22:34:19-05

EAST GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – East Grand Rapids City Commissioners were united in their stance against the alt-right fliers found posted around the community over the weekend.

On Sunday morning, some residents woke to find the fliers posted near the corner of Plymouth and Lake, covering poles and Black Lives Matter signs. On them were the words ‘It’s okay to be white.’  The signs also had alt-right websites printed on them.

“As a Jewish American this really strikes home,” says Chad Zagel, First Ward Commissioner. “With the kind of world that I’m trying to build for my son, I’m deeply offended, the outrage knows no bounds.”

Many residents also showed up at Monday’s East Grand Rapids City Commission meeting to speak against the fliers.

“If you feel that strongly about the validity of your argument why not own it? Why put it on other people’s property in the middle of the night?” says Samantha Cornel, an East Grand Rapids resident.

FOX 17 received the following statement from Alt-Right of Michigan Monday:

The purpose of these fliers was to help expose the double standard against whites in America, and the hypocrisy in the mainstream media. Groups such as the Latino Victory Party proudly claim "We Are. The Future," meanwhile it's deemed unacceptable to advocate for the interest of Whites. This is especially noticeable in instances such as the opioid epidemic in the US or white genocide happening in South Africa

The mayor says East Grand Rapids police are continuing to investigate this and whether any actual crimes were committed.