Grand Rapids, MI – In the wake of over 400 Palestinians being killed by Israel’s repeated violation of the January ceasefire agreement, on March 19 nearly 100 community members rallied at the corner of Rosa Parks Circle in solidarity with Palestine. After chants condemning the actions of both Israel and the United States, the group took to a march towards the Gerald R. Ford Federal Building.

Their anger was pointed out and they had three specific targets. First, toward Israel and its continued violation of the January ceasefire agreement, denying even basic supplies to enter the country, and its endless murder of the Palestinian people. Second, toward their own local government, which is complicit in its repression of both its pro-Palestine movement and its support of Israeli businesses. And third, toward the federal government, which continues to provide direct support for the genocide of the Palestinian people and for its acts of political repression against pro-Palestine activists across the country.

The rally comes after the arrest of both Mahmoud Khalil and Leqaa Kordia on New York’s Columbia University’s campus and demonstrated a continued escalation of repression against the pro-Palestine student movement which began during President Biden’s administration.

Anthony O’Hegarty, a member of Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids (PSGR), told those in attendance, “This is nothing new for activists – In fact, the Antiwar 23, a group of activists from Grand Rapids, Minnesota and Chicago were raided by the FBI, subpoenaed to a grand jury, and accused of material support for terrorism for their anti-war activism in 2010.”

“Now Israel is promising to send ground troops into Gaza. They’ve killed 400-plus people in mere hours – What’s happening in Gaza right now is extermination. Israel has been given a blank check by the U.S. to exterminate and disappear whoever they wish,” said O’Hegarty.

The mood of the evening was not defeat and despair, but energy and determination. The organizers remained stalwart in their vows against the atrocities and injustices perpetrated by both the United States and by Israel.

In an era of ever-escalating political repression, the people of Grand Rapids are committed to continuing their fight for a free Palestine. The events were a rallying cry to all those who stand against injustice to join the long march alongside them.

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Grand Rapids, MI – On March 5, outside of Corewell Health, the largest employer in Grand Rapids, 30 people rallied outside of the healthcare giant demanding their immediate divestment from Israeli companies and bonds.

Early this month, Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids launched its “Corewell Health Divest!” campaign in response to the horrific destruction of Palestine’s healthcare system and the company’s connection to the Michigan Israel Business Accelerator – a nonprofit which proudly states itself to be “the only landing zone in the U.S. dedicated to supporting the growth of Israeli companies” and having “hosted 100+ Israeli companies in Michigan.”

Highlighting this and bringing attention to the continued war crimes committed by the Israeli military, PSGR co-chair Emerson Wolfe stated the facts to the crowd, “Israel has completely destroyed well over half of Gaza’s major hospitals. Thousands upon thousands of drone and missile strikes against Palestinian clinics, hospitals, and ambulances have been reported by the World Health Organization. Over 1000 healthcare workers and counting have been murdered by the IOF in Gaza and in their ongoing siege of the West Bank!”

The protesters, waving a banner stating “Corewell divest” and chanting slogans such as “Israeli fundings got to go! CEO Decker has to know!” also talked to healthcare workers going in for the third shift at the hospital.

“It’s really important these folks understand that their employer is caught up in this business of preaching healthcare at home while buying into companies which support genocide overseas,” remarked one community member. “We’re not protesting these workers – in fact we need them to join us – we’re protesting those who make millions from this genocide and the decades long occupation of Palestine.”

Corewell CEO Tina Freese Decker’s trip to Israel in March of 2023 was sponsored by the Michigan Israel Business Accelerator and included other corporate elites from around Michigan. From an article detailing the trip, CEO Decker stated that she felt “inspired and energized” by the visit to the country – the same country that turned the courtyards of the Al-Shifa and Nasser hospitals in Gaza into mass graves.

“We’ve got to keep the pressure up,” said another community member stated. “Israelis have universal healthcare while people in this country go into debt for the simplest of procedures. Why is this? It’s because the U.S. government and private corporations stimulate the occupation’s economy. We need this money at home for people who are struggling.”

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Grand Rapids, MI – On October 7, roughly 80 people in more than 25 cars drove from Grand Rapids, Michigan to protest at Woodward Zeeland, an engineering firm with locations worldwide which has been connected to the genocide in Gaza.

After the U.S.-funded attacks on Lebanon and Palestine, and the escalation of the genocide, organizers led by Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids (PSGR) launched a campaign targeting local war-profiteers that culminated in the rally and die-in outside of Woodward Zeeland.

Gathering at a church in Grand Rapids, the group painted their cars with slogans demanding an end to U.S. aid to Israel, pointing out the complicity of Woodward in the genocide, and for Representative Hillary Scholten to end her support of Israel. The caravan drove from Grand Rapids to Zeeland, a small community outside Holland, Michigan. On their way the caravan passed Scholten's house, honking their horns and getting thumbs up from neighbors.

Other groups involved in the protest included FRSO Michigan, the Grand Rapids Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, and Students for a Democratic Society at Grand Valley State University.

In an online statement, PSGR elaborated on why this company is a prime target: “Woodward Zeeland tests fuel spray nozzles and jet engines for combustion. This is an important connection point to other war profiteers in the state, where different military contractors work together to spread out responsibility for genocide.”

The group stayed outside the facility from 1 until 3 p.m., where they rallied, gave speeches, and spoke to workers leaving the facility during the shift change. “You deserve to feed your families without having to work three jobs. You deserve affordable rent and safe clean housing!” said Emerson Wolfe, the cochair of PSGR, directly addressing the Woodward workers. “You deserve public healthcare and education without having to pay thousands and thousands of dollars! You deserve all of this without having to build bombs.”

As the action ended, the protesters held a die-in outside the facility to directly signal Woodward’s direct complicity in the genocide and the invasion of Rafah.

Wren Burns, a Zeeland based organizer with PSGR, spoke on how the devastation of Gaza makes them feel as a parent: “How can community or family be the cornerstone of this town when places like Woodward are how we make a living? War makes the deaths of children measurable in dollars and cents. If you can’t quantify the life of your own child, how can you do that with someone else’s?”

Another community member spoke on this importance of educating the next generation about the horrors of imperialism. “My son has been coming to events with me all year and today I realized he needed to be there too, so I took him out of school early to join the rally.” She continued, “Our kids have to see and understand what this country is doing. We owe them the respect and dignity of giving them space to life their voice and come to terms with what’s happening.”

The historical significance of the date wasn’t lost on the organizers, either. Answering the Antiwar Action Network’s national call for a week of action in early October, Grand Rapids joined dozens of cities across the nation by organizing marches, rallies and direct-actions to make clear their immediate demand, ending U.S. aid to Israel now.

Outside of the Woodward facility, the assembled protesters commemorated the importance of the Al-Aqsa flood. “A year ago today, I woke up and texted my comrades and said ‘look at the news! The people of Gaza have liberated themselves,’” said Sam Tunningley, of Freedom Road Socialist Organization. “It was one of the most incredible days of my life.”

A Palestinian community member stated, “This is the moment! This is the year! We will tear down imperialism from its core! By this time next year, we will see a free Palestine! We will see a free Masjid Al-Aqsa and we will pray there in safety!”

“This year of resistance – witnessing the strength and determination of the Palestinian people – is teaching us what liberation looks like,” Emerson Wolfe said, signaling at the diverse array of protesters, ranging in age from children to elders from all walks of life.

Woodward has been under fire since fragments of Boeing bombs dropped on Rafah contained identifier codes linking them back to Woodward. Direct actions outside of the Woodward headquarters in Colorado brought together 300 people late last year. In February, 33 people were arrested outside of the Niles, Illinois Woodward location for blocking entrances to the facility. After the Zeeland action on October 7, three out of the nine publicly known Woodward locations in the U.S. have been targeted by anti-genocide protesters in the past year.

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Grand Rapids, MI – On Wednesday, May 8, an educational event on the link between policing in the United States and the occupation in Palestine was held before a march and die-in to stand against a ground invasion of Rafah.

The event hosted by the Grand Rapids Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (GRAARPR) and Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids (PSGR) took place at the East Congregational Church.

In a presentation, Eduardo Montiel, made connections between the repression of the student encampments and the Palestinian struggle against occupation forces. The slide presentation made mention of the police delegations sent to Israel since 2004.

Montiel’s portion of the program also demonstrated similarities between how the CIA and Israel use propaganda, playing video examples, including the infamous “Humans of CIA” ad.

“Israel and the U.S. both use identity politics to try and sell you a version of intelligence agencies that is both digestible and relatable,” said Montiel.

This was followed by student Jessica Plichta giving a powerful speech on the recent developments in the student movement. Plichta spoke for five minutes and finished to a standing ovation from all attendees.

“The precedence in how we hold Israel accountable for its war crimes and genocide against the people of Palestine will dictate how all future cases of apartheid, occupation and genocide are handled in the modern era,” said Plichta.

After the presentation, organizers announced to the room a march and die-in in the front lawn of U.S. Representative Hillary Scholten’s house. They practiced and assigned roles before the march, with everyone who committed to the action grabbing a white sheet.

The rally, around 60 people, marched two blocks to Scholten’s house, chanting “Hillary Scholten, you can’t hide! You’re supporting genocide!” Upon arrival, around ten people laid on the lawn while protesters lined the corner and demanded Scholten halt her green-lighting of Israel’s occupation.

Scholten has consistently voted in support of Israel and refused to meet with Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids.

After around ten minutes at Scholten’s house, the rally marched back to the church.

Applause and cheering could be heard from the parking lot, with some participants remarking on the empowering feeling of confronting those in power who refuse to heed their demands. A few commented on the positive response from the neighborhood and the number of people who observed the protest from the street.

During the organizing debrief inside the church, the cop who had been tailing the rally entered the room to hand off a symbolic dead child left on Scholten’s porch. The organizers left the church together to ensure everyone made it home safely.

The rally marked the second time organizers marched to Scholten’s house. The representative has yet to publicly comment on either demonstration.

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