Peace march organized after campus threat

HOUGHTON —  The Houghton community is coming together in response to a threat against Michigan Tech’s black community. ABC 10’s Amanda L’Esperance has the story.

Last week, a threat was made on social media to Michigan Tech’s black community. Since being taken into custody, the suspect of the threat has been charged with disturbing the peace and released on bond. The university’s president, Glenn Mroz said in a statement that the student was served an interim suspension and ban from campus. Tech students and faculty, along with community members, recently organized a peace march in protest to violence.

Michigan Tech student, Christina Welch said, “There were two goals to this march. The first was to bring the campus together as one and as a community. And show that we don’t want to be separate, we don’t want to be divided, we want to be considered, everybody considered a part of the Michigan Tech community. No matter what your race, your gender… any of it.”

The second goal of the march was to protest the charges against the suspect. Many community members agree that the threat deserves more than a charge for disturbing the peace.

“We want justice, we want peace.”

“Our lives are not a joke.”

Many students, faculty and community members joined in the march that started on Tech’s campus and made it’s way through downtown and to the Houghton County Courthouse. There, peace marchers gathered in a moment of silence and rallied against violence in the community.

Welch said, “Any violence of any shape, form, or fashion won’t be tolerated at Michigan Tech’s campus. We are one community and we won’t tolerate it in our home.”

Stick with ABC 10 & CW 5 for updates on this story as details become available.