Grand Rapids, MI – On Tuesday, July 6, the Freedom Road Socialist Organization hosted a rally demanding Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker refuse to enforce Michigan's anti-abortion law passed in 1931. The event was held outside the Kent County Courthouse in Grand Rapids.

“There's no reason for a law written nearly a century ago to determine the lives of women, trans men, and nonbinary people today,” said event co-organizer Olivia Lashley, “Chris Becker needs to do the right thing and stop this outdated law from getting people killed in Kent County. Abortion is healthcare, it is a right that the Supreme Court recognized for 50 years, and it needs to be safe, free and on-demand. If he won't follow the will of the people, he should get out of the way and be replaced by someone who will.”

Organizers led a variety of chants, including “Abortion rights are human rights!” and “Hey Chris Becker, quit your job!” The movement for Becker's resignation is noteworthy, as Becker has the financial backing of the ultra-rich DeVos family, a family who has their name plastered on many buildings in Grand Rapids, and who dominates local politics.

The DeVos family is well-known for being anti-choice. In 2020, then-Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos compared abortion to slavery. Michigan residents, however, disagree: a May 2022 poll showed 63% opposed to overturning Roe v. Wade with only 26% in favor.

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