Credit Andrew Jameson / bit.ly/1xMszCg
This summer, people in Chelsea joined those around the state and the country to protest against racism and police brutality, following the death of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis Police Department. Some of those protestors were issued tickets by the Chelsea Police for impeding traffic.
Today, a District Court judge dismissed those tickets, saying they were issued under an unconstitutional statute. This comes after a unanimous decision by Chelsea City Council last week to recommend that Chelsea Police Chief Ed Toth dismiss the tickets.
During last week s city council meeting, city attorney Peter Flintoft mentioned that courts might have to get involved if a fine had already been paid.
Citing First Amendment, judge dismisses charges against antiracist protesters in Chelsea
Updated Feb 22, 2021;
Posted Feb 22, 2021
A Chelsea police SUV drives alongside as protesters march down South Main Street in Chelsea on Friday, July 31 2020. The march and police department sit-in was organized by Anti-Racist Chelsea Youth.Jacob Hamilton/MLive.com
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CHELSEA, MI Impeding traffic charges have been dismissed against several of the protestors who participated in demonstrations last summer in the city of Chelsea.
Washtenaw County 14A-3 District Court Judge Anna Frushour declined to charge members of an antiracist activist group on impeding traffic violations, ruling that punishing the individuals would be in violation of the First Amendment of the United Sates Constitution.
Washtenaw County judge throws out tickets against Chelsea BLM protesters from summer
By Randy Wimbley and David Komer online producer
Published
Washtenaw County judge dismisses tickets against BLM protesters, including teens
A Washtenaw County judge dropped charges Monday against Black Lives Matter protesters after a number of people raised concerns about Chelsea police pursuing civil infractions against them, some of them being kids.
Teen Mya King spoke about her joyous reaction to Washtenaw County Judge Anna Frushour dismissing charges of impeding traffic against her and several others who took part in Black Lives Matter protests in Chelsea last summer. Ms. King s letter from the Chelsea Police Department states You have been identified as blocking the street while demonstrating, said Judge Anna Frushour in a streamed hearing. The inclusion of that language makes this ticket more about just impeding traffic. And that s the problem.