Protestors cut Snyder's meeting with pastors in Detroit short - Fox 2 News Headlines

Governor Rick Snyder was in Detroit Tuesday meeting with the Council of Baptist Pastors, but the meeting was cut short by protesters who wanted the governor to answer their concerns about a number of issues.

Several dozen demonstrators showed up outside the Bethel Baptist Church on Detroit's east side.  They chanted and carried signs that read "don't sell out Detroiters", "pay us our 224 million" and "stop bullying Detroit".

Inside the church, Snyder met with pastors about his vision for the city.  He spoke about voter registration legislation, the newly planned bridge to Canada and the state's consent agreement with Detroit.

"My goal is not to run the City of Detroit, but to be a supportive partner, to support the people of Detroit in terms of being successful, of bringing the city back," Snyder said.

The meeting was cut short when protesters tried to ask the governor about the emergency manager law and voting rights.

"Governor Snyder has been an absentee landlord, a bad landlord over the State of Michigan.  His policies [are] anti-working class, anti-poor.  You have the super dictator law -- Public Act 4," said activist Rev. Malik Shabazz.

"You want to help the kids and help the babies, make sure that my kid can vote one day. Make sure that the people who we put in office [aren't]  dismissed because he wants to come in and take over cities and municipalities," said Rev. Charles Williams II, president of the National Action Network Michigan Chapter.

Some promised that the demonstrations would continue and even escalate, but the president of the Council of Baptist Pastors says dialogue is good.

"We are on opposite poles on many of the issues that he has espoused, but it's always good to have dialogue and debate because with that comes sensitivity," said Michael Owens.