LANSING, Mich. — Sunday Evening, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson released a statement regarding a protest that occurred outside her home Saturday evening.
In the statement, Benson said that her family was about to sit down to watch 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' when dozens of armed individuals showed up outside her house, shouting obscenities and chanting through bullhorns.
A spokesperson for Michigan State Police confirmed that no one was injured or arrested during the protest.
"I have always been an energetic advocate for the right and importance of peaceful protest as enshrined in the United States Constitution," Benson said. "However there is a line crossed when gatherings are done with the primary purpose of intimidation of public officials who are carrying out the oath of office they solemnly took as elected officials."
Benson claimed in the statement that these protesters are "an extension of the noise and clouded efforts to spread false information about the security and accuracy of our elections."
"Through blatantly false press releases, purely political legislative hearings, bogus legal claims and so called 'affidavits' that fail to allege any clear or cogent evidence of wrongdoing, those unhappy with the results of this election have perpetuated an unprecedented, dangerous, egregious campaign to erode the public’s confidence in the results of one of the most secure, accessible and transparent elections in our state’s history," Benson said.
Shortly after Benson's statement, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel released a joint statement about the incident, claiming that one individual shouting the phrase 'you're murderers' within earshot of a child's bedroom.
.@MIAttyGen @dananessel and Wayne County Prosecutor @KymLWorthy issued the following joint statement regarding the protest in front of Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s home Saturday night: pic.twitter.com/RTTO5F2JEu
— Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (@MIAttyGen) December 7, 2020
"This mob-like behavior is an affront to basic morality and decency," Nessel said in the statement. "In a civil society, there are many ways to peaceably assemble and demonstrate. Anyone can air legitimate grievances to Secretary Benson’s office through civil and democratic means, but terrorizing children and families at their own homes is not activism. This disturbing behavior masquerading as protest should be called out for what it is and roundly condemned by citizens and public officials alike."
