GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Tuesday night's City Commission meeting in Grand Rapids adjourned early a second time due to disruptions from protesters.
The same thing happened at the previous City Commission meeting on Tuesday, April 26.
Community members were at the meeting to voice their disappointment with the Grand Rapids city government and its handling of Patrick Lyoya's death at the hands of Officer Christopher Schurr last month.
"Listen to the community that you are constantly ignoring; put money and resources and reallocate that same money that you're willing to emergency give to GRPD," one person said. "There shouldn't be the same money being emergency out to the resources in the southeast side. We're asking for those resources. And now we're demanding them justice for Patrick Lyoya."
"This past Sunday, I thought about Mama on her first Mother's Day without her son," another person said. "I couldn't even grasp Mother's Day. Father's Day, Patrick's daughters will not have their daddy around. It makes me sick to my stomach that I live in a country where people actually justify this horrific crime."
The public comment portion stirred protesters as the meeting wore on, and in time, many attendees became disruptive.
Mayor Rosalynn Bliss had gone over the public comment rules at the start of the meeting and warned what would happen if those rules went unacknowledged.
More than once, Mayor Bliss cut the microphone when speakers began swearing — a violation of public comment rules. An outburst followed.
"There is nothing that says we have to amplify when you can continue," Bliss hollered over protesters. "We can hear you, but I'm not turning the mic on if you cannot refrain from cursing."
Disruptions continued, and that was when Mayor Bliss called for a recess at around 8:15 p.m. "Okay, you're disrupting this meeting. We're calling a recess and we're going to ask those who are being disruptive to leave and we will come back ... in two minutes."
#BREAKING The @mayorbliss has recessed the meeting. pic.twitter.com/eYAgxS8HLx
— Matt Witkos Reporter (@matt_witkos) May 11, 2022
The meeting did not reconvene.
This security guard just told us the meeting is adjourned. pic.twitter.com/7jTRrEoY35
— Matt Witkos Reporter (@matt_witkos) May 11, 2022
This was the scene after the meeting adjourned for the night:
Officials instructed protesters to leave the building or else face possible arrest.
The Grand Rapids Police Department says an arrest was made but it had nothing to do with the meeting. We're told two people got into a fight after the meeting outside City Hall.
One of the protestors is handcuffs following the meeting getting adjourned. pic.twitter.com/9Re2R996SN
— Matt Witkos Reporter (@matt_witkos) May 11, 2022
READ MORE: A closer look at decorum policies after Grand Rapids City Commission meeting ends abruptly
