UPDATE:

Protestors chide police after Flint water town hall arrests

UPDATE:

FLINT, MI -- Police say six people were arrested Thursday evening at a Flint church during a town hall meeting on Flint Mayor Karen Weaver's recommendation to stay on the Detroit water system.

Flint police Chief Tim Johnson addressed the more than 100 people who were gathered at House of Prayer Missionary Baptist Church on West Carpenter Road prior to the town hall, asking men to remove their hats and issued a stern warning.

"I just want to make sure this meeting goes off the way it's supposed to and that everybody's respecting everyone," he said. "Please don't be in here trying to disrupt this meeting, because if you do I'm going to escort you out and I'm only going to take you to the back door and then you're going to jail. I'm not going to play with nobody tonight."

Officers stopped men wearing hats from entering the church sanctuary unless they removed them, and men who would not remove their hats were asked to leave. The issue led to arguments between members of the public and police.

They also escorted people out who used profanity inside the church.

"There's a couple people that's arrested," Johnson said. "There's a couple people cussing in the church, disorderly conduct."

Several of those in attendance questioned why the meeting was held at a church where Weaver, along with city, state and federal officials spoke with residents.

Despite the warning, Johnson said he felt some people were at the meeting just to cause trouble.

"I guess they felt like they can do it anyway," Johnson said. "That's what they're here for is to be agitators."

Residents peppered officials with questions about bacteria, the long-term medical impact of the water supply and medical support for those potentially contaminated with lead, and how they can ever trust the government again.

Thursday's event is the only scheduled event where the public can ask officials about the city's water future. Weaver said radio town halls may also be scheduled in the future to discuss the water recommendation.

The city says it's giving residents until May 20 to comment on its future water source, including Weaver's recommendation that the city continues to purchase pre-treated water from the Great Lakes Water Authority for the next 30 years.

Weaver announced earlier this week that Flint should continue to purchase pre-treated water from the Great Lakes Water Authority, ranking a new 30-year contract with the GLWA as the top alternative available to the city in terms of cost, public health, reliability and ease of implementation.

Weaver's recommendation for a new, three-way partnership involving the city, the Genesee County Drain Commissioner's Office and GLWA still needs approvals and time before it can be implemented.

** Warning, video contains strong language **