Defying No Trespass signs, about 40 activists occupy North Lake detention center grounds without any resistance from GEO Group security

On Sunday afternoon some 50 people from all over Michigan descended on the North Lake to once again draw attention to the largest privately run ICE detention center in Baldwin.

Sunday’s protest was a follow up action that took place in April when detainees had begun a hunger strike. Since then detainees at detention centers across the country have been engaging in hunger strikes and other forms of protest in order to draw attention to the unsanitary conditions, the lack of medical care, maggot infested food, even physical abuse the guards.

There was a short rally held near the front gate of the North Lake Detention facility, which included lots of chants, a reading of a list of demands from detainees and some reflections by a Cosecha organizer about the work they are doing in Grand Rapids. Someone from No Detention Centers in Michigan also played a message from a Black detainee about the physical abuse they experienced at the hands of a GEO Group prison guard.

After about the first hour of the protest people were invited to enter the North Lake detention area, something that had not been previously done. Nearly 40 people entered through the main gates dancing to music in what was called a Salsa Shutdown – shown here in the video.

The group danced and chanted in front of the entrance to the building where people enter for visits with detainees. This last another 7 – 8 minutes without any response from the GEO Group security.

The group of resisters then moved to another area of the North Lake detention facility, near the guard tower and right across from one of the wings where hundreds of detainees are imprisoned. Here people continued to dance and chant and send messages to the detainees that were in solidarity with them.

Again another 10-12 minutes passed by and still no sign of security guards or local cops. By this time people eventually headed towards the gate they had entered some 30 minutes prior.

People were commenting on the lack of response from the GEO Group and how surprised many were that the local cops were not called to respond. Some speculated that the lack of response demonstrated either how afraid or how unprepared the privately run GEO Group was to this public defiance. If anything, this direct action could provide an opening for other people to continue resisting the North Lake detention facility and boldly say Abolish GEO and Abolish ICE!