How can there be justice for Da’Quain Johnson when so few people show up to demand justice?

Last night there were less than 100 people who showed to protest the brutal GRPD killing of Da’Quain Johnson.

The mother of Da’Quain Johnson expressed gratitude for the people who did show up last night, but she also wondered out loud where everyone else was. She was also joined by several other mothers who have had their sons taken from them by the police. These Black mothers embraced each other and the best way we can embrace them is to show up for them.

Next Saturday there will likely be several thousand people in Grand Rapids attending yet another No Kings protest. Now, I’m not saying that several thousand people shouldn’t show up to protest against the Trump Administration’s imperialist war against Iran, the ongoing US complicity in Israel’s genocide in Gaza, ICE repression and the ever growing threats to civil liberties and civil rights in this country. But the GRPD killing of Da’Quain Johnson happened right here in Grand Rapids.

Last year a white organizer from Indivisible Greater Grand Rapids asked me how they could get more non-white people to join their protests. I told them that was the wrong question to ask. The question we need to be asking is when are white going to start showing up when Black people are being murdered or thrown in jail for resisting police brutality? When are white people going to practice real solidarity with BIPOC communities and immigrants who are constantly being targeted by state carceral violence?

After the rally that was held at Rosa Parks Circle, people then marched to the GRPD headquarters to demand answers. The protest in front of the police headquarters was lively, included lots of demands at one point people sang along to the words of Fuk Da Police. Speaking of the GRPD, which had limited presence throughout the night and mostly just drove past as people were gathered at Rosa Parks Circle  or while we were marching on Division Street. There were some cops present while those demanding justice stood outside of the GRPD headquarters, but they were standing on the roof several floors up monitoring the crowd.

The protest demanding justice for Da’Quain Johnson then marched for another 20 minutes ending up back at Rosa Parks Circle. The demonstration was over, but the GRPD attacks against Black organizers was not. One of the Black organizers involved in demanding justice for Da’Quain Johnson while driving back home was stopped by the GRPD and taken to the Kent County Jail.

Another clear instance of Black organizers going to jail while the GRPD suffers no consequences for killing another Black man in Grand Rapids. When are we going to show up and resist this shit?