Residents and community leaders defend Councilwoman Sampey and urge denouncement of social‑media bullying
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Summary
Dozens of residents used public comment to defend Councilwoman Melissa Sampey, recount her community work, and urge the mayor and council to denounce a social‑media campaign of harassment; Sampey addressed the council and said she will not resign.
At the general public‑comment portion of the Westland City Council meeting residents and community leaders repeatedly urged the council and mayor to condemn what they described as coordinated social‑media harassment of Councilwoman Melissa Sampey. Dozens of speakers — civic volunteers, nonprofit leaders and longtime residents — praised Sampey’s local work, including fundraising and community programs, and urged that online attacks and targeted posts that included license-plate details and personal commentary be denounced.
Several speakers reported emotional distress and fear stemming from online posts. Councilwoman Sampey addressed the council during member comments: she said she had sought and been granted a personal protection order the prior August after a widely shared video and accompanying commentary, described a pattern of targeted posts that included her family members, and said she would not resign. Sampey asked colleagues and the mayor to denounce violence and bullying and to support transparency and respectful civic discourse.
The mayor declined to comment on ongoing legal matters but said he would not address personal issues publicly in the meeting; he nevertheless reiterated support for community civility and acknowledged the concern. Multiple residents asked for mediation or other steps to reduce online escalation; several urged council members to speak publicly against the online campaign. The council president reminded attendees that personal attacks and abusive speech are out of order for the meeting.
