With the blizzard of protests popping up in many of America’s cities over the weekend, the most remarkable sight might have been the law enforcement officers who joined a rally and march in suburban Flint, Michigan, according to NBC25 News.
Chris Swanson, the sheriff of Genesee County, took to the streets in Flint Township — about an hour north of Detroit — to interact and march with the protesters. “We want to be with you, for real,” he told the assembly of spectators, photographers and media members.
“This is the way it’s supposed to be, police working with the community. When we see injustice, we call it out on the police side and on the community side. All we had to do was talk to them, and now we’re walking with them,” he said.
Swanson made sure he told the crowd that he condemns the actions of Derek Chauvin, the disgraced Minneapolis cop who was filmed with his knee in the neck of George Floyd. Chauvin has since been arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
“The cops in this community, we condemn what happened. That guy (Chauvin) is not one of us,” Swanson told the cheering crowd, according to another video that was obtained by TMZ.
Swanson, flanked by other members of the sheriff’s department in riot gear, said he and his colleagues were off duty and putting aside their batons and helmets to join the march that began at the local Target store. Before the video ended, he could be seen walking as he shook hands and hugged some of the marchers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u56T_SB4RLc
