Action against ICE repression results in three arrests in Grand Rapids

As part of a plan leading up to the May 1st march, A Day Without Immigrants, there was a smaller action today to draw attention to the repressive practices of ICE agents (Immigration Customs and Enforcement).

About 50 people gathered at the Calder Plaza around noon today and then marched over the the ICE office, located on Ottawa, just north of the 196 freeway.

Once the march arrived at the ICE office, the three people who were carrying a banner blocked Ottawa street to further demonstrate their opposition to the targeting of people who are undocumented by ICE agents.

Those from the immigrant community, who organized the action, spoke in Spanish and in English, explaining what the purpose of the action was.

The GRPD arrived shortly after people were blocking the road, but after a brief conversation with the organizers, it was made clear that the police were not going to arrest anyone. Those who organized the action then spent some time discussing amongst themselves what plan of action they would take next. It was then decided that people would walk back towards Michigan St on Ottawa, just beyond where both the eastbound and westbound exits off of 196 are.

you can see from the two pictures below, how traffic was backed up onto the highway from both exits.

At this point six GRPD cars converged on the protest march and the arrested the three people who were holding the banner. These three individuals were allies/accomplices who made it clear that this action was not about the, rather it was about the government repression that the undocumented community faces every day. The message was clear from their banner which read, “WE WILL STOP DISRUPTING YOU, WHEN YOU STOP DISRUPTING OUR FAMILIES.