Protesters calling for Ann Arbor to boycott Israel will be back at the City Council meeting after dozens were escorted out of the last meeting by police for causing a disruption.
When Ann Arbor City Council meets Monday night they will consider plans to rezone land, money to pay for the creation of a deer management plan, and ordinance changes to the taxi-cab ordinance. The most noise however may come from an item not on the agenda, violence in the middle east.
For more than a decade a group of Ann Arbor residents has been asking for the city to boycott Israel.
With the most recent violence in Gaza the issue has heated up in Ann Arbor as well.
At the last City Council meeting Mayor John Hieftje called for a recess and chanting protesters were escorted out by police.
MozhganSavabieasfahanisays her group wasn't harmful to anyone and will be back at this meeting. She believes city council should at least hold a public hearing on what they want the city to do, "Not purchase anything from Israel. Ultimately I would like to see all ties with Israel severed, cut as they did with South Africa."
Council member Sabra Briere isn't certain what the city can do to stop violence in the middle east, and isn't expecting anyone from council to propose a public hearing.
City Administrator Steve Powers says public comment requirements and limitations will continue to be shared and the mayor may call for a recess if he believes it's necessary to restore order.
Like 89.1 WEMU on Facebook and follow us on Twitter— Andrew Cluley is the Ann Arbor beat reporter, and anchor for 89.1 WEMU News. Contact him at 734.487.3363 or email him acluley@emich.edu.
