Protesters Decry Kid Rock As Little Caesar's Arena Opening Act

DETROIT, MI — Protesters angered by the choice of Kid Rock as Little Caesar’s Arena inaugural act gathered at nearby Grand Circus Park to make their voices heard on Tuesday. About 100 protesters shouted slogans like, “Who’s city? Our city,” just hours before the Michigan native was set to hit the stage, according to a Detroit Free Press report.

The protest comes just a day after Kid Rock defended himself from attacks that alleges he panders to white supremacists groups. He said the attacks are politically motivated.

"None of this would be going on if I were not thinking of running for office,” Kid Rock wrote Monday in a Facebook post. (For more local news, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Detroit Patch, and click here to find your local Michigan Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Some of the protesters planned to walk to the arena to continue speaking out against the selection of Kid Rock. The Detroit Free Press reported that many will kneel in homage to former NFL quarterback Colin Kapernick.

Detroit resident Tyrone Allen told the newspaper that Kid Rock’s selection was a slap in the face. He said a “real” Detroiter could have and should have been chosen to open the arena.

Brandon Stout, also of Detroit, didn’t mince words. “He's a fascist with everything he's said," he told the Detroit Free Press. "We're out here to oppose Kid Rock and to oppose this new arena."

A ceremonial opening of Little Caesar’s Arena was held last week. The Detroit News reported that the final cost of the arena was some $862.9 million, with a sizable chunk — $344 million — financed via publicly-backed construction bonds.

Besides concerts, the arena, which sits just north of I-75 on Woodward Avenue, will be home to the NBA’s Detroit Pistons and the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings. The project took a little more than two years to complete.

Photo by Theo Wargo / Staff / Getty Images Entertainment / Getty Images