November 23, 2021
Lansing, MI - John E. Johnson, Jr., Executive Director of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, issued a statement applauding the jury decision in Charlottesville, VA today that found organizers of the "Unite the Right" rally in 2017 violated state civil rights laws by conspiring to commit racially motivated violence.
"The jury's message is loud and clear: if you incite violence in the name of hate, you will pay a price," said Johnson. "This decision and the size of the award should send a chill through the ranks of white supremacists and the groups that support them, and we believe will help stop future Charlottesville-like travesties from taking place."
The Michigan Civil Rights Commission was created by the Michigan Constitution to safeguard constitutional and legal guarantees against discrimination. The Commission is charged with investigating alleged discrimination against any person because of religion, race, color or national origin, genetic information, sex, age, marital status, height, weight, arrest record, and physical and mental disability. The Michigan Department of Civil Rights serves as the operational arm of the Commission.
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