Community members are urging the Lansing City Council to formally support a ceasefire in Gaza.
More than a dozen residents asked the council Monday night to introduce and pass a ceasefire resolution aimed at ending Israeli military campaigns in Gaza. More than 23,000 Palestinians have been killed since October, when a Hamas attack into southern Israel triggered the war.
Residents told the council that passing a resolution would send a message to the Biden administration.
“To call for a ceasefire is more than symbolic, when every Lansing resident contributes to the billions of die dollars that the U.S. has given Israel right now, when Lansing has a long-standing commitment to those fleeing war, violence and persecution," Anna Martinez-Hume said. "We are all deserving of international protection and solidarity."
The calls for a ceasefire were met with applause throughout the meeting, prompting City Council President Jeremy Garza to use his gavel and ask attendees to maintain decorum.
Resident Kyle Richard argued municipal governments like Lansing need to up the pressure on the U.S. to end its support for Israel.
"This is the local body of our democratic structure," Richard said.
No resolution on the issue was on the council's agenda and councilmembers made no remarks responding to the public's comments.
Calls for a ceasefire in Gaza have been heard in several Michigan cities, including Ypsilanti and Detroit. A resolution on the issue is set to appear before the city council in neighboring East Lansing during its meeting Tuesday night.
Lansing River Trail Expansion
Officials also explored a land acquisition that could allow the city to extend its River Trail network.
A branch of the pedestrian and cyclist trail currently ends in South Lansing at Waverly Road, south of Jolly Road. The city is hoping to purchase a parcel of land currently owned by the Lansing Christian Center Church to create a nearly mile-long extension of the pathway west to Williams Road.
The council approved a grant acceptance Monday that allocates $500,000 from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to help pay for the acquisition.
Lansing Parks and Recreation director Brett Kaschinske says an extension could improve transportation options for nearby residents, noting the current lack of sidewalks on a residential section of Jolly Road.
"We are looking for not only passage and recreational opportunities for these individuals to be able to enjoy the river trail, but also for safer passage in this area to be able to connect them in a non-motorized way to the rest of our rest of our trail system," Kaschinske said.
The Lansing River Trail expansion is in its early stages, Kaschinske noted, with many steps remaining before an extension could break ground. He said the city would need to reach a purchasing agreement with the current landowners and get permission to build on land currently used by Consumers Energy.
