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Detroiters Rally On 'Day Of Outrage'

DETROIT (WWJ) - Over 200 demonstrators stood in front of the Spirit of Detroit statue, Thursday, to protest a number of issues.

Some of the protestors were locked out of the Mayor's office when they took their protest up to the 11th floor of the Coleman Young Municipal building.

Minister Malik Shabazz led a dozen or more protesters to City Hall.

"We don't want our pension fund, which is operating at a surplus, put up under MERS, the state pension, which is operating at a deficit," Shabazz said.

"We don't want any Emergency Financial Manager, whether if it's (Detroit Public Schools) or the city.  The deficit of DPS was not created by the board. The deficit of DPS was created under state management," he said.

Community Coalition organizer, Ernest Johnson told WWJ's Florence Walton that they're calling Thursday's demonstration a "Day of Outrage."

"We're outraged about the bill that's been passed about the financial managers. We're outraged about... how they wanna tax our pensions, how they wanna take away our pensions.  So, you know, we're upset the way (DPS Emergency Financial Manager) Robert Bobb runs our schools," Johnson said.

Following the rally in front of the Spirit of Detroit, protestors led a march around the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center.

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