ALPENA: ‘Protect the rights of these children’ at the US southern border

ALPENA, Mich. (WBKB) — The conditions of refugees in detention centers on the US southern border have received a lot of national attention. The People for Social Justice of Alpena rallied the community together on Michigan’s coastline to voice their anger.

“Close the camps! Close the camps!” Marchers chanted as they walked with poster signs from the National Marine Sanctuary to the lawn of Alpena County Circuit Court. The people are protesting against the inhumane conditions refugees face at the US southern border.

“It’s atrocious what’s going on in our country right now,” said a protester.

Some read testimonies of migrant kids being mistreated in the custody of US law enforcement.

A woman read at the podium on the courthouse grass, “this is from a girl age 15…Jane sleeps on a mat with me on a concrete floor. We spend all day, every day in that room. There are no activities. Only crying.

References of “kids in cages” were seen on dozens of posters and displays along Chisholm Street.

Judi Stillion was distraught. She helped bring everyone together with the People for Social Justice, a local activism group. “I would encourage everybody to write to their congressman and express their outrage as well. I can’t believe there’s anybody that’s not upset by this.”

Stillion and others are upset by reports from the US government saying that several migrant children have died under their supervision.

Another speaker at the podium, “protect the rights of these children and all children like civilized countries do.”