On Wednesday, April 5 about 150 people filled Sheldon Complex to talk about a recent raid of Stingers Club by the Grand Rapids Police Department. Local radio talk show host Robert S. moderated the event, along with 2 area attorneys who have come forward to offer free legal assistance to the 100 people who were arrested or ticketed during the police raid. Robert S. began the meeting by pointing out that there are few places that “Blacks feel comfortable to go and listen to music like R & B. Ask yourselves, how many places are there in town that we can go to and then asks yourselves how many options White people have to listen to music, especially places they feel safe?”
But the focus was on the recent police raid at Stinger’s Club, a private motorcycle club. During the public comment period dozens of people came forward to offer testimony about what happened to them and what others witnessed that night. One woman, who claims she was pregnant was arrested and handcuffed. She was then placed in a police van and then taken to the Kent County Jail. She told the audience that she was in handcuffs for nearly 5 hours. She told the police that she wasn’t feeling well and was concerned about her baby, but was ignored. While sitting in a holding cell at the jail, she again expressed discomfort and that she was pregnant, but no medical care was offered. Then the woman said she had a miscarriage. When she went to hear preliminary hearing at the court they said she had to charges against her. Several other people who were arrested and ticketed also said that when the showed up at the court house their paperwork was no where to be found.
Several others that spoke talked about police abuse, being thrown to the ground, kicked in the ribs and having their heads hit the concrete. All of the defendants were asked by the lawyers to provide them with contact information and to provide written testimony on what was done to them and what they witnessed being done to others. Lawyers also fielded questions and stressed that the more people that came forward to testify the better they would be able to defend those arrested.
Robert S. also provided a document to those in attendance, which consisted of a list of legal rights that people should be aware of as well as tactics when dealing with the police, particularly on the issue of hindering and opposing. Several times Robert S. said that “we want to cooperate with the police.” The lawyers also expressed the importance of cooperating with the police and that the battle should be fought in the court room. Several of those in attendance made comments about how “we won’t find justice there.” At the end of the meeting there was also comments made from neighborhood organizers about the need to make it a policy to have police officers live in Grand Rapids to overcome the “disconnect to the community.” Others stressed the need to engage elected officials and to get more people registered to vote as a long term strategy for change. Again, several people in the audience expressed that this would not matter.
