Grand Rapids, MI protest against war with Iran
Grand Rapids, MI – On January 4, about 35 people gathered at the intersection of Division and Fulton, the center point of Grand Rapids, to express their outrage and protest the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force. Soleimani was killed outside Baghdad’s airport.
Signs read: “No war on Iran,” “U.S. out of Iraq and the Middle East,” “No war,” “Bad president/bad decisions” and the iconic “Give peace a chance.” The crowd chanted, “No more war” and “No war in Iran.”
Organized by a small group of progressive activists, the protest attracted a diverse group of people from ordinary walks of life. Mike DeRuiter, one of the participants, stated, “It shows the increased concern people have. People living in the U.S. want good paying, steady jobs with healthcare benefits, not endless wars with countries who have never done anything to the average American.”