Grand Rapids, MI – On the morning of August 19, activists walked into the Grand Rapids Retirement System board meeting with one goal in mind: “What will it take for the city pension plan to divest from Israeli companies?”

The ongoing “Grand Rapids Divest from Israel” campaign started when Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests confirmed the existence of a $1.1 million investment from the retirement system in an Israeli AI company called NiCE.

NiCE makes AI-powered software for use in anything from business management to police surveillance. 

“Word has gotten out among the broad public that our government has been funneling billions of dollars into Israel every year, and Americans are rightly upset about it,” said Nick Young during the public comment section of the board meeting. 

Young continued, “We suggest that you, as the board of the General Retirement System, communicate with your investment consultants and investment managers, directing them to eliminate all holdings in NiCE.”

Palestine solidarity activist Jessica Plichta commented, “This isn’t the police or U.S. government using and accessing our information alone, it is a foreign entity from a foreign government who is committing crimes against humanity that is using and saving our private information.”

After the meeting, trustees talked with activists, and many expressed their openness to working together to find which asset manager held the NiCE investment on behalf of the city and to continue the conversation.

“It is a great initial step,” said Anthony Hegarty. “People don’t want our economy tied up with Israel anymore. We want our city to stop conducting business with Israel and if it means chipping away at each lousy investment to get there, we will do it.”

#GrandRapidsMI #MI #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #BDS #Divestment