'A huge transgression': VP Mike Pence traveled by motorcade on a historically car-free island in Michigan, riling critics
- US Vice President Mike Pence traveled by motorcade on the historically car-free Mackinac Island in Michigan on Saturday. The incident was documented in a video taken and tweeted by the Detroit Free Press's Paul Egan.
- Pence visited to speak to the Michigan Republican Leadership Conference, which has long been held on the island. He told the crowd that he had visited Mackinac often while growing up and into adulthood, according to The Detroit News.
- Pence's mode of transportation has been criticized as disrespectful. Michigan native Julia Pulver tweeted that "For those not from MI, you should understand what a huge transgression this is."
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As a well-known vacation spot in Michigan, Mackinac Island is known for its fudge, historic sites, and lack of cars.
On Saturday, though, US Vice President Mike Pence traveled through the island in a motorcade, igniting controversy.
You can see the line of cars in the below video, captured and tweeted out by the Detroit Free Press's Paul Egan:
Pence's mode of transportation was quickly condemned by many critics as disrespectful.
"For those not from MI, you should understand what a huge transgression this is," Michigan native and onetime Michigan State Senate candidate Julia Pulver tweeted.
And Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlalib wrote:
Pence was on Mackinac Island for the Michigan Republican Leadership Conference, long held there, and told the crowd that he had visited Mackinac often while growing up and into adulthood, according to The Detroit News.
The ban on motorized vehicles on the island came around the 1900s when it was becoming a tourist destination, according to the Star Tribune. There are some exceptions for such things as construction and emergency vehicles, as well as police cars, the Star Tribune reported.
The White House did not immediately return Business Insider's request for comment.