Grand Rapids, MI: Marches at Pride Festival to demand no war with Iran
Grand Rapids, MI – While the Grand Rapids Pride committee was pausing festivities for the afternoon due to nearly triple-digit temperatures on Sunday, June 22, over 100 community members marched with cold compresses and face misting water bottles through the Festival to nearby Rosa Parks Circle, demanding “No war with Iran.”
Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids co-chair Emerson Wolfe led the rally through the streets, joined by organizers from Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Progressive Student Union at Grand Valley State University, and community members of all ages.
Vendors and volunteers cheered for the crowd while festival staff drove alongside the marchers, chanting with the group and signaling excitement for a protest at Pride. They chanted, “first they lie and then they bomb – first Iraq and now Iran!” throughout the streets of downtown.
“Late yesterday, Trump unilaterally declared war with Iran by dropping bombs and then claiming it would lead to peace!” Wolfe shouted into a megaphone to onlookers. “But let’s be clear – there are no weapons of mass destruction! They are using the same script from 2003, and they think they can trick us into normalizing endless war. But we say ‘Hands off the Middle East!’”
Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids was tabling at the Pride festival Saturday, talking to community members about their upcoming 70-mile March Against Genocide to the state capitol, when the news broke about Trump’s unjustified escalation in Iran. After 12 hours in the heat, organizers mobilized quickly to plan the emergency rally late into the night.
“Yesterday I was flyering for PSGR at Pride all day and I only had one run in with a Zionist. Queer and trans people overwhelmingly support Palestine and recognize that we shouldn’t be starting a new war in the Middle East,” said one trans organizer.
News cameras were ready and waiting for the marchers to arrive at Rosa Parks Circle. Energy was high despite the heat while the crowd chanted to cars honking in support. A community member sporting fairy wings waved a Palestinian flag on the corner, while families with young children rested in the grass holding signs saying, “No war With Iran.”
After chanting for 30 minutes, organizers led the march back to the Pride Festival, ending at the PSGR booth with chants of “Free Palestine!” Israel’s unprovoked attacks on Iran and the United States’ intervention in the region are a clear response to their support of the Palestinian resistance against the Gaza genocide. Despite the high temperatures and quick turnaround time, it is evident that the people of west Michigan refuse to be dragged into another racist war.