Justice For Black Lives activists will not be silenced in Grand Rapids!
Justice For Black Lives (JFBL) is a non-profit based in Grand Rapids, founded in June 2020 in the wake of the unrest following the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Within their first year, JFBL was able to successfully petition the City to name a road in honor of Breonna Taylor and organized mutual aid and safe spaces for community members to express themselves through protest.
Featured photo with this post came courtesy of Justice For Black Lives.
Photo courtesy of Justice for Black Lives; JFBL with Breonna Taylor’s family
On March 8, 2021, eight protesters, including both the President and Vice President of Justice for Black Lives, were arrested at a Justice for George Floyd March. This was the first of many protests in 2021, and the Grand Rapids Police Department continues to target JFBL leadership for speaking out against their violence and racism. JFBL Vice President Danny Santiago has been targeted multiple times for speaking on a bullhorn, and other activists in the group have been arrested after making public comments at City government meetings.
Longtime NLG members, Richard Kessler and John Royal, assembled a dedicated legal team of volunteer attorneys in Grand Rapids - many who are members of the local ACLU - to represent the JFBL activists. Members of the Michigan Solidarity Bail Fund also provide legal support, and NLG Legal Observers are present at JFBL actions.
Most of the initial March 8, 2021 cases were dismissed after the protesters did 16 hours of community service. There are several cases still pending, from targeted arrests beginning on March 8, 2021.
In July 2021, Grand Rapids police arrested and jailed Danny Santiago (for the seventh time) to prevent him from speaking to the first in-person meeting of the Grand Rapids City Commission in over a year. See M-Live article. The next month, Danny Santiago’s NLG attorney filed a motion to dismiss many of his charges on Constitutional grounds. The motion, challenging the Grand Rapids Noise Ordinance (consequently not used against loud Trump supporters) relied heavily on the exemplary legal research and writing assistance provided by ACLU of West Michigan Summer Legal Intern, Rihan Issa, from the University of Michigan Law School. Danny’s motion hearing date is October 18, 2021 at 1:30pm.
Undeterred by police targeting, Justice for Black Lives continues to speak out and march in Grand Rapids for racial justice!
Photo courtesy of Justice for Black Lives