{"id":2648877,"date":"2026-08-24T11:42:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-24T15:42:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michigan-democrats-2013-arrest-emerge-as-he-distances-from-dsa-roots\/"},"modified":"2026-08-24T11:44:41","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T15:44:41","slug":"michigan-democrats-2013-arrest-emerge-as-he-distances-from-dsa-roots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michigan-democrats-2013-arrest-emerge-as-he-distances-from-dsa-roots\/","title":{"rendered":"Michigan Democrat&#8217;s 2013 arrest emerge as he distances from DSA roots"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmichigan-democrats-2013-arrest-emerge-as-he-distances-from-dsa-roots%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2648877&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Michigan Democratic House candidate Will Lawrence\u2019s past arrest during a 2013 protest against the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline is raising questions as he attempts to distance himself from his earlier affiliation with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Documents obtained by Fox News Digital indicate Lawrence was among several protesters detained for chaining themselves to machinery aimed at opposing the pipeline, which runs from Wisconsin to ontario through Michigan.During the protest, Lawrence and others were charged with trespassing, resisting arrest, and obstructing police.<\/p>\n<p>Additional scrutiny arises from Lawrence\u2019s 2020 social media posts where he advocated to \u201cdefund the police\u201d amid the Black Lives Matter movement and praised legislators opposed to fully funding police departments. He is also a co-founder of the Sunrise Movement, a climate activism group known for pushing the Green New Deal, which gained national attention in 2018 with a sit-in at Nancy Pelosi\u2019s office involving Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.<\/p>\n<p>Lawrence recently let his DSA membership lapse to focus on local issues in michigan\u2019s 7th Congressional District, where he secured the Democratic nomination. He now describes himself as an &#8220;organizer and coalition builder&#8221; aiming to represent his district\u2019s interests. Endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders, Lawrence faces Republican incumbent Tom Barrett in November. Recent polling suggests he holds a narrow lead over Barrett. Lawrence has stated his intention to move away from radical activism toward addressing community-based concerns, emphasizing unity within the Democratic Party. The Washington Examiner sought comment from lawrence regarding these revelations.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/michigan\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"655\">Michigan<\/a> Democratic House candidate Will Lawrence\u2019s previous arrest during a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/protests\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"77\">protest<\/a> against a crude oil pipeline is muddying the waters as the progressive attempts to distance himself from his previous membership in the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/democratic-socialists-of-america\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"5861\">Democratic Socialists of America<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to documents obtained <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/michigan-dem-candidates-2013-arrest-resurfaces-pivotal-race-control-congress\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/michigan-dem-candidates-2013-arrest-resurfaces-pivotal-race-control-congress\">by <em>Fox News Digital<\/em><\/a>, Lawrence was one of several people arrested during a 2013 protest against the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline, which spans 645 miles from Wisconsin to Ontario and crosses Michigan.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4698041\/record-michigan-democrats-2013-arrest-emerge-distances-dsa-roots\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Record of Michigan Democrat\u2019s 2013 arrest emerge as he distances from DSA roots<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4697955\/nrcc-16000-stolen-unknown-actor\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Republican campaign committee reported over $16,000 stolen by unknown actor<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4698006\/third-dan-sullivan-alaska-senate-race-endorsement\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Third Dan Sullivan weighs in on unprecedented Alaska Senate race with endorsement<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lawrence and other protesters chained themselves to machinery in defiance of the pipeline, which was intended to meet critical U.S. energy needs. Lawrence and three others had to be cut off the machines to be arrested, and they were later charged with trespassing, resisting arrest, and obstructing a police officer.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another skeleton in Lawrence\u2019s closet is coming to light as he tries to project unity within the scrambled Democratic Party. In 2020, Lawrence fired off posts on X, formerly Twitter, calling to \u201cdefund the police,\u201d at the height of the Black Lives Matter movement. He praised state legislators who voted against fully funding local police departments.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lawrence is the co-founder of Sunrise Movement, a network of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/climate-activism\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"11454\">climate<\/a> activists based in Michigan that started in 2017. The organization garnered national attention in 2018 when the group organized a sit-in at Rep. Nancy Pelosi\u2019s (D-CA) office to get a Green New Deal passed. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) participated.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lawrence let his DSA membership lapse earlier this month, which he said was an effort to bring focus to the issues facing Michigan\u2019s 7th Congressional District, currently held by Rep. Tom Barrett (R-MI). The race is rated a \u201ctoss-up\u201d by <em>Cook Political Report<\/em>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But since securing the nomination in the primary earlier this month, Lawrence has shifted away from the activist mindset, instead describing himself as an \u201corganizer and coalition builder\u201d focused on local issues.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI just want to make very clear that I\u2019m here to represent the people of this district and focus on the issues that are bringing people together,\u201d he told CNN.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4694275\/dsa-embarrassing-high-college-students-sarah-bedford\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4694275\/dsa-embarrassing-high-college-students-sarah-bedford\/\">DSA IDEAS ARE \u2018EMBARRASSING\u2019 AND SOUND LIKE THEY COME FROM \u2018HIGH COLLEGE STUDENTS\u2019: SARAH BEDFORD<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lawrence is endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and will face Barrett in November. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehousemajoritypac.com\/news\/hmp-poll-william-lawrence-leads-tom-barrett-in-mi-07\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.thehousemajoritypac.com\/news\/hmp-poll-william-lawrence-leads-tom-barrett-in-mi-07\">Recent polling<\/a> by House Majority PAC, the Democratic Party\u2019s campaign arm, suggests the progressive has a narrow lead over the incumbent.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> reached out to Lawrence for comment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lawrence\u2019s past arrest during pipeline protest complicates his campaign efforts<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4130,"featured_media":2648878,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/sipaphotostwentyseven494607-e1785969851309.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[84587,4912,74849,4601,5894],"class_list":["post-2648877","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-2013-arrest","tag-democrat","tag-dsa","tag-michigan","tag-politics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/sipaphotostwentyseven494607-e1785969851309.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2648877","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4130"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2648877"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2648877\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2648880,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2648877\/revisions\/2648880"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2648878"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2648877"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2648877"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2648877"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}