Rally for the reopening of the Onondaga Dragway broken up by police
UPDATE: This story has been updated with the correct cross streets of Everett Plaza, and details on the traffic stop conducted during the clearing of the plaza.
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — The day after 6 News reported that the was to race legally in the wake of a in Lansing, a judge ordered it to . Friday night, drivers rallied on the south side of the city, calling for the track to reopen—and police later broke it up.
Participants were allowed to gather at Everett Plaza, just south of Holmes Rd. on Cedar St. for over an hour and half. But when the noise from some vehicles became too loud police moved in from the south directing people to leave and pushing the rally participant's vehicles to an exit on the north end of the parking lot.
Overhead, a drone directed participants to leave the area, while occasionally shining a light down on the parking lot.
At its peak, 6 News observed an estimated 75 vehicles and 100 people gathered at Everett Plaza.
A flyer made the rounds on social media earlier this week, calling the gathering the 'Cedar St. Street Race,' an event to 'raise awareness about the dangers of street racing and promote safer alternatives,' calling for the reopening of the Onondaga Dragway. The tagline? 'Let's bring racing back to the track!'
In late April, police say two each other down S Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. near Pierce Rd. caused a five-vehicle crash that sent 13 people to the hospital, eventually resulting in the death of a 15-year-old passenger who was inside one of the racing vehicles.
The crash caused around the city of Lansing from residents and city officials alike, who are currently trying to find a way to crack down on illegal street racing in the area. Willie Sloan, owner of the Sloan Onondaga Dragway, offered his own solution, down to the track Wednesday, offering up a space for them to race legally.
Thursday, the day after 6 News spoke to Sloan, Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Rosemarie E. Aquilina track to close immediately—and indefinitely. That order was the result of a by Onondaga Township resident Rebecca Lindsey, who claims the track is a nuisance because of the amount of noise and vibrations it causes. The judge agreed.
The Lansing Police Department told 6 News earlier Friday they were aware of the event and planned to later that night to crack down on potential reckless driving.
6 News on the scene saw City Council President Ryan Kost at the event, as well as Farhan Shiekh-Omar, one of the city's police commissioners.
As LPD officers were working to clear the rally goers from the lot, those police vehicles suddenly sped out of the lot. 6 News watched as the police units at Everett Plaza sped out of the parking lot with lights and sirens on, joining other units that appeared to be pursuing someone south on Cedar Rd. Around 8 police cars were seen.
Additional units arrived to continue clearing the parking lot.
Within a block of Everett Plaza, 6 News saw police had pulled over one car just north of the intersection of Holmes Rd. and Cedar St.
Another car was also stopped by police at the intersection of Mason St. and Cedar St. shortly after midnight.
Police tell 6 News the stop on Mason St. near Cedar St. resulted in one male being taken into custody and a firearm being recovered from the vehicle.
Police have not confirmed why these cars were pulled over, or if they were involved in Friday night's rally.
This is a developing story. Stick with 6 News for the latest updates.
6 News Digital Reporter Todd Heywood contributed to this report.
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