LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Michigan State University Board Chair Brianna Scott, D-Muskegon, says she is not aware that a threat has been made against her or any of the other MSU trustees.
The Detroit News reported on Wednesday that police officers were dispatched to the homes of trustee members who received threats after their phone numbers and home addresses were posted on social media Tuesday night. Trustee phone numbers and home addresses are publicly available information.
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“While it is understandably concerning to have personal addresses shared online,” Scott told 6 News, “trustees are public officials and recognize that certain personal information can be publicly accessible.”
“Local police were asked to do security patrols of trustees’ homes. Nothing more, nothing less,” she added. “While I may not agree with the tone of many emails and social media posts, we must be clear: criticism, even when harsh, is not the same as a threat. The former, however uncomfortable, is part of public discourse. It reflects genuine anger, disappointment and frustration, sentiments wholeheartedly I share.”
In the Detroit News report, trustee Rebecca Bahar-Cook, D-East Lansing, told the newspaper that the MSU Department of Police and Public Safety is patrolling neighborhoods where trustees live. Bahar-Cook did not respond to a request for comment prior to publishing.
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Bahar-Cook, according to the Detroit News, said none of the emails she received were directed at her personally, but rather the collective board…