Protesters call for Gov. Rick Snyder’s arrest

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IMAGE / Nadia Koontz

Mr. Bruce Fealk protests against the state’s handling of the Flint water crisis outside of Flint’s city hall Friday, Jan. 8, while wearing a papier-mâché Rick Snyder head.

“Flint should be here,” Mrs. Carrie Younger-Nelson called out over the chanting. “This needs to be justified.”

Younger-Nelson is a retired employee from the state of Michigan and was personally affected by the Flint water crisis.

“I obtained a rash, and the doctor didn’t know what it was,” Younger-Nelson said. “They told us that nothing was wrong with the water, but there was and still is.”

More than 150 people came together outside Flint City Hall on Friday, Jan. 8, for the same reason — to call for the arrest of Gov. Rick Snyder.

Some protesters held signs or wore T-shirts, but Mr. Bruce Fealk, dressed in a prisoner’s uniform, wore a papier-mâché  Rick Snyder head.

“We need to get people’s attention,” Fealk said.

Fealk was also running a Periscope broadcast that was later posted on Twitter by Mr. Michael Moore, a filmmaker and author who grew up in Davison.

“In less than 72 hours, 85,000 have signed my petition to #ArrestGovSnyder for poisoning Flint water. Let’s make it 100k,” Moore tweeted Saturday, Jan. 9.

Snyder is under pressure for the Flint water crisis, including national criticism for the role his state-appointed emergency manager played in the city.

Flint has been run by a succession of emergency managers from 2011 until April 2015, and the city remains under state oversight with a Receivership Transition Advisory Board that was appointed by the governor.

Ms. Nayyirah Shariff (center) addresses the crowd at a Flint water protest at city hall Friday, Jan. 8.
IMAGE / Nadia Koontz
Ms. Nayyirah Shariff (center) addresses the crowd at a Flint water protest at city hall Friday, Jan. 8.

While under emergency management, the city’s drinking water source was changed temporarily in April 2014 from the Detroit water supply to the Flint River, which was a move made to save Flint about $3 million in a short period of time.

However, questions were soon raised about health risks and, finally, in September 2015, Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, director of Hurley’s pediatric residency program, showed data to prove that Flint children’s blood levels had been elevated severely with lead after the switch.

During the protest, the organization, We the People of Detroit, arrived with 9,000 gallons of bottled water for those in the area who are unable to get out.

Mrs. Monica Lewis-Patrick was with the organization and responded to the call from Flint residents and activists.

Lewis-Patrick said when Detroit held water protests, Flint residents arrived to show their support. She said now Detroit was showing its gratitude.

After distributing the water and the “arrest Gov. Snyder” chanting died down, protesters and activists came together to share their thoughts about the Flint water crisis.

You (Gov. Rick Snyder) can flush your apology down the toilet. I can’t use your apology as medication for the seizures I now have as a result of using Flint water.

— Ms. Nayyirah Shariff, Flint water activist

Ms. Nayyirah Shariff was one of many who spoke out, specifically appealing to the governor after he apologized to Flint’s citizens in a press release Dec. 29.

“You can flush your apology down the toilet,” Shariff said. “I can’t use your apology as medication for the seizures I now have as a result of using Flint water.”

In part of his acknowledgment to Flint, Snyder said, “I want the Flint community to know how very sorry I am that this has happened. And I want all Michigan citizens to know that we will learn from this experience because Flint is not the only city that has an aging infrastructure.”

Snyder ended his December statement by saying the state will work with Flint Mayor Karen Weaver to offer assistance to the city. He concluded, “When it comes to matters of health and quality of life, we’re committed to doing everything we can to protect the well-being of our citizens.”

But Shariff is not happy with Snyder’s apology, especially after her personal experience with Flint’s water.

“Instead of talking about pop culture and gossip with my friends, we discuss our various issues, medications, and lawsuits,” Shariff said. “Your apology didn’t include, ‘Sorry for changing your entire way of life.’ You are trying to avoid the impending storm, but it is coming and you have nowhere to hide.”