Another case demanding police reform has come up, and this time it’s in Michigan. This incident took place in downtown East Lansing, Michigan, where two 22-year-old Black men, Lonnie Smith and Mason Wood, were pepper-sprayed and arrested under an alleged false accusation of fighting. This arrest has now led to community outrage, accusations of racism in the ELPD, and lawsuits against the police.
Michigan State University was celebrating its “Fall Welcome” event in mid-August, which is essentially a program to welcome new students and help them transition into university life. Smith and Woods, on the day of the incident, were outside a downtown restaurant when a fight broke out.
More than a month after the pepper-spraying and arrest of two black men, Lonnie Smith and Mason Woods, both men have filed federal lawsuits against the city of East Lansing, alleging excessive force and libel for a misleading press release.
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Surveillance video shows that Woods got into a verbal altercation with one of the men in the line, and Smith, who was across the street, came over to intervene and was trying to diffuse the situation. At that moment, police arrived and used pepper spray at close range, hitting both men and several bystanders.
What is important to know is that there was no actual fight taking place. There were no punches being thrown or a loud screaming match. The situation was calming down, and everything would have been peaceful in a few minutes because everyone involved seemed interested in solving the confusion.
Police intervention at this point seemed very excessive and unnecessary.
The video has been making rounds online since the arrest that shows a group of young adults of different races waiting in line. People could be seen laughing, talking, and the overall environment was calm. When the argument began, it remained verbal with light pushing, which was clearly just “posturing” by young men. Other than that, there was no sign or indication of violence.
Yet, the police came over ready to break up a fight with extreme measures and acted without analyzing the situation. This has not sat well with the community, and people are demanding answers.
Despite there being a video that clearly shows what was happening, the senior authorities have been describing the situation as a fight between Smith and Woods, two people who were not even standing close by at the beginning of the argument. The police have been justifying their actions and claiming that extreme measures were necessary to maintain the peace.
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Atlanta Black Star reported that when the police chief, Jennifer Brown, was confronted over the matter, her response made the situation far worse. In possibly the worst diplomatic move, Brown said that the department had been overwhelmed by the “disproportionate number of minorities” coming into the town for the welcome weekend. She tried to pin the violence and disturbance in the city on the minority presence and justified the action.
As one can expect, this has not gone well with civil rights advocates and groups who are now demanding Brown’s resignation. Her actions and statements are being condemned, with critics claiming that she is trying to give a pass to her officers for hurting people of color.
Critics are seeing this as racial profiling, over-policing, and a clear case of bias within law enforcement agencies.
Woods and Smith filed separate lawsuits against Chief Brown and the officer involved in the arrest, Andrew Lyon, on November 26, 2025.
These lawsuits and public pressure may mark a turning point in policing and racial profiling at the local level in Michigan, but not many are holding their breath over the outcome.
