Grand Rapids, MI – On Thursday, May 8, over 100 activists and community members gathered outside the Kent County 17th Circuit Court to stand in solidarity, outrage and mourning with the family of Patrick Lyoya, an unarmed black man and Congolese immigrant who was killed in a 2022 traffic stop by the Grand Rapids Police Officer Christopher Schurr.

After years of waiting for justice while Christopher Schurr walked free of consequences, the prosecutor’s office finally put Schurr on trial for murder. But after days of deliberation, the jury was unable to reach a verdict, and a mistrial was declared by the judge.

In response to the news, protesters took to the streets to demand a retrial and justice for Patrick and his family.

“Patrick's not here. Patrick doesn't have a voice,” said protester Erykai Cage. They continued, “As long as I have breath in my body, I'll be out here.”

After a rally outside the courthouse, during which Black community leaders delivered speeches, protesters began to march to the nearby police department, initially occupying the streets until city and state police demanded they return to the sidewalk.

Activist Aly Bates told the crowd, “We cannot allow the city to forget what happened.”

The crowd shouted chants of “Black lives matter!” “You can’t stop the revolution, GRPD is not the solution” and “Justice for Patrick!” as they made their way past the police station and back towards the courthouse.

After returning to the courthouse, protesters occupied the intersection next to the rally location. Police responded by forcing protesters onto the sidewalks. Several were maced and one arrested. Officer Daryl Howard of the GRPD violently and suddenly moved a protester who was using a wheelchair, despite this individual attempting to comply with police orders, and nearly tipped them on to the street.

Kent County Commissioner Robert Womack told the crowd, “We have to dismantle their train of thought because every building and every police officer’s gun is paid for by your tax dollars,” adding, “Have they forgotten who they work for?”

DeeDee Grier, a prominent leader in the fight for justice for Patrick Lyoya, encouraged both those in attendance and those who can’t attend to continue supporting the grieving Lyoya family.

Despite a mistrial being declared, the fight for justice for Patrick Lyoya has only just begun in Grand Rapids. Organizers promised to continue standing together in solidarity to win justice for Patrick Lyoya and commit to building a united front against police repression.

#GrandRapidsMI #MI #InJusticeSystem #KillerCops #BlackLivesMatter #PatrickLyoya #Feature

Grand Rapids, MI – On the morning of Wednesday, September 6, cries demanding justice for the murder of Patrick Lyoya resounded from the steps of the State of Michigan Building. There, a three judge Court of Appeals hearing for the ex-police officer, Christopher Schurr, was taking place. Schurr killed the 26-year-old Congolese immigrant Lyoya with a point blank shot to the back of the head during a traffic stop in April of 2022.

Demonstrators congregated outside the building despite a steady rainfall in order to show support for the Lyoya family, who were in attendance at the hearing. The parents of Patrick Lyoya were joined by former Kent County Commissioner Robert Womack and Ven Johnson, their attorney in a civil case against both the city and Schurr.

The protesters, who included local activist groups along with members of the Grand Rapids Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, were repeatedly refused entry to the court room. Instead, they were forced to remain outside where they held signs and engaged in boisterous chants: “What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!” and “If we don’t get it, shut it down!” Some of this call and response was led by local activist Erykai Cage. She is the cousin of Breonna Taylor, who was killed by police in Louisville, Kentucky on March 13, 2020.

About 20 protesters were in attendance during the peak of the rally, and their many signs and flags blocked the view of a huddle of counter-protesters who had arrived to support the police.

Earlier in the event, Grand Rapids Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (GRAARPR) member Barbara Howard spoke on behalf of the Alliance, citing the long history of violence and discrimination faced by nationally oppressed people at the hands of the Grand Rapids Police Department. She resolutely called to “Indict, convict, and send this killer cop to jail,” a sentiment which was echoed amongst those assembled.

Howard concluded with a call to “continue to expose this corrupt justice system that is responsible for mass incarceration, prison slave labor, and the conviction and execution of thousands of innocent people!” On the afternoon of the 6th, a car caravan was also convened in support of Patrick Lyoya.

As of now, further delays in the trial process are anticipated. Kent County Chief Appellate Attorney Katherine Wendt argued, on behalf of the prosecution, that the case must be presented before a jury. The defense team and various police organizations, such as the Michigan Fraternal Order of Police, are aligned in their hope that the charges brought against Schurr be dismissed before such a trial is possible. Schurr’s defense attorney, Matthew Borgula, argued that his client had acted within his rights as a police officer when he shot and killed Lyoya. After the hearing, the appeals panel will produce a written opinion on whether to go forward with a criminal trial, although this is expected to take anywhere from a month to a year, according to Attorney Ven Johnson.

In response to frequent and ongoing delays, local organizers, such as Barbara Howard, persist in their declaration that “Justice delayed is justice denied!” They are insistent that the matter be brought to trial as soon as possible.

GRAARPR plans to accompany a number of Grand Rapids residents affected by police violence, such as the Lyoya family, to attend an upcoming conference of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, which will be held at the Chicago Teachers Union hall on November 3, 4 and 5.

#GrandRapidsMI #PoliceBrutality #PatrickLyoya

Grand Rapids, MI – The calls for conviction of Christopher Schurr, the cop who murdered 26-year-old Congolese immigrant Patrick Lyoya, were heard in the streets of Grand Rapids on Thursday, August 31, during a rally of 70 people demanding justice ahead of Schurr’s Court of Appeals date next week. This is the first of two events planned – the second will be to pack the court next week for Schurr’s hearing.

Protesters gathered at Calder Plaza before kicking off a march that circled through the downtown and finished at the Kent County Courthouse for speeches. The event was emceed by Robert Womack, a county commissioner, and included civil rights lawyer Ben Crump; Patrick Lyoya’s father, Peter; Pastor Sean Holland of the Lansing Black Lives Matter; and Kellan Martin of the Grand Rapids Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

Peter Lyoya, speaking through his translator Israel Siku, expressed his gratitude for those carrying on the fight for his son. “The blood of Patrick cries for justice,” said Lyoya. The slogans “Cry 4 Justice” and “We will never forget!” have been adopted as rallying cries by the family in the months leading up to the hearing.

“This is bigger than Christopher Schurr,” said Womack, who filled the gaps between speakers with chants and powerful words. “Whether he goes to jail or not, we won’t stop there until city hall bends to the will of the people!” Womack led chants of “Guilty! Guilty!” and “Justice for? Patrick Lyoya!”

Ben Crump, who has represented a number of high-profile cases pivotal in the Black lives matter movement, flew into Grand Rapids to speak at the rally. He offered sobering and powerful reflections on the progress of the movement against police and told the audience to try and avoid being discouraged from the fight.

Crump said we should take seriously Schurr’s claim he was following training procedures from the Grand Rapids Police Department, as it points to a systemic problem with policing in the city.

“They didn’t think we were going to get justice for George Floyd. They didn’t think we were going to get justice for Ahmaud Arbery,” said Crump. “It was the people who made us get justice for George Floyd.”

Kellan Martin, a member of the Grand Rapids Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, spoke on the police violence in the city, calling it “obscene” and arguing the police treat Black people in Grand Rapids as colonial subjects. The Alliance played a role in organizing the rally, offering to distribute flyers and unite forces across the city to attend.

The rally closed with more chants in front of the courthouse. “Will we ever forget? No!” “What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!”

Schurr and his defense team were granted a leave to appeal in April. In the year since the murder, the defense has been fighting to have the case dropped, citing self-defense in the line of duty. The video, however, clearly shows Patrick Lyoya unarmed, with Schurr pinning him to the ground and shooting him in the head. Womack noted during the rally the absurdity of Schurr even having an appeals hearing.

The Lyoya family are demanding justice for their son and want to continue ensuring his memory burns bright in the city’s consciousness. Schurr’s hearing is on September 6, at 9 a.m, and the family, local groups and the Grand Rapids Alliance are calling to pack the court with Lyoya’s supporters.

#GrandRapidsMI #PoliceBrutality #PatrickLyoya

Grand Rapids, MN – The calls for conviction of Christopher Schurr, the cop who murdered 26-year-old Congolese immigrant Patrick Lyoya, were heard in the streets of Grand Rapids on Wednesday, August 30, during a rally of 70 people demanding justice ahead of Schurr’s Court of Appeals date next week. This is the first of two events planned – the second will be to pack the court next week for Schurr’s hearing.

Protesters gathered at Calder Plaza before kicking off a march that circled through the downtown and finished at the Kent County Courthouse for speeches. The event was emceed by Robert Womack, a former city commissioner, and included civil rights lawyer Ben Crump; Patrick Lyoya’s father, Peter; Pastor Sean Holland of the Lansing Black Lives Matter; and Kellan Martin of the Grand Rapids Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

Peter Lyoya, speaking through his translator Israel Siku, expressed his gratitude for those carrying on the fight for his son. “The blood of Patrick cries for justice,” said Lyoya. The slogans “Cry 4 Justice” and “We will never forget!” have been adopted as rallying cries by the family in the months leading up to the hearing.

“This is bigger than Christopher Schurr,” said Womack, who filled the gaps between speakers with chants and powerful words. “Whether he goes to jail or not, we won’t stop there until city hall bends to the will of the people!” Womack led chants of “Guilty! Guilty!” and “Justice for? Patrick Lyoya!”

Ben Crump, who has represented a number of high-profile cases pivotal in the Black lives matter movement, flew into Grand Rapids to speak at the rally. He offered sobering and powerful reflections on the progress of the movement against police and told the audience to try and avoid being discouraged from the fight.

Crump said we should take seriously Schurr’s claim he was following training procedures from the Grand Rapids Police Department, as it points to a systemic problem with policing in the city.

“They didn’t think we were going to get justice for George Floyd. They didn’t think we were going to get justice for Ahmaud Arbery,” said Crump. “It was the people who made us get justice for George Floyd.”

Kellan Martin, a member of the Grand Rapids Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, spoke on the police violence in the city, calling it “obscene” and arguing the police treat Black people in Grand Rapids as colonial subjects. The Alliance played a role in organizing the rally, offering to distribute flyers and unite forces across the city to attend.

The rally closed with more chants in front of the courthouse. “Will we ever forget? No!” “What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!”

Schurr and his defense team were granted a leave to appeal in April. In the year since the murder, the defense has been fighting to have the case dropped, citing self-defense in the line of duty. The video, however, clearly shows Patrick Lyoya unarmed, with Schurr pinning him to the ground and shooting him in the head. Womack noted during the rally the absurdity of Schurr even having an appeals hearing.

The Lyoya family are demanding justice for their son and want to continue ensuring his memory burns bright in the city’s consciousness. Schurr’s hearing is on September 6, at 9 a.m, and the family, local groups and the Grand Rapids Alliance are calling to pack the court with Lyoya’s supporters.

#GrandRapidsMN #PoliceBrutality #PatrickLyoya

Grand Rapids, MI – Christopher Schurr, the Grand Rapids cop who executed Patrick Lyoya, has been charged with second-degree murder by Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker. Charges were announced at a June 9 press conference. The decision comes nine weeks after Lyoya was gunned down at a traffic stop on April 4. The family, along with local activist groups, have called for Schurr to be fired and charged with murder. Schurr turned himself in to officials in Calhoun County, and termination from Grand Rapids Police Department is now proceeding, according to Chief of Police Eric Winstrom.

The Michigan State Police investigated the case while Schurr took paid administrative leave. Concerns about impartiality grew after it was revealed Becker had accepted a $1000 campaign donation in 2016 from the Grand Rapids Police Officers Association, who have thrown their full support behind Schurr. The police union also donated to the campaigns of Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss and two city commissioners.

Lyoya’s family is represented by attorney Ben Crump, who has handled several high-profile shootings including Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown. Crump has stated the video clearly demonstrates excessive force and no attempts at de-escalation.

Since the incident, groups such as Voices of the Revolution and Black Activists United have held weekly protests, often attended by the family. A downtown rally held on April 16 was attended by hundreds of protesters.

So far, two city commission meetings have been recessed over “disruptions” from activists, who expressed anger at the hypocrisy of officials refusing to take action on police brutality until they were thrust into the national spotlight. Before the shooting of Patrick Lyoya, protesters were frequently harassed and arrested by local cops during demonstrations. The concerns were brought in front of the commissioners at almost every meeting for years.

Lyoya, 26, was a refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was pulled over by Schurr, who wrestled with an unarmed Patrick after drawing his taser. Schurr’s body camera shut off mere seconds before he shot Lyoya in the back of the head, prompting public speculation over whether the gap in footage was intentional.

Prosecutor Becker reported today that Officer Schurr’s body camera can only be turned off if the shut off mechanism is pressed continuously for three full seconds, throwing suspicion on GRPD’s reported assumption that it was turned off by accident as a result of pressure caused by the altercation. He also stated that according to the law and the evidence presented, self-defense is not a viable justification for this killing.

Prosecutor Becker further stated that he would not have decided to press charges if the evidence did not clearly show that Schurr is guilty, and he will be pursuing conviction which could result in life in prison with parole.

Peter Lyoya, Patrick’s father, stated in an interview after the announcement that he was beginning to believe there was no justice in this country, until today. He said it was the video evidence which led to reenactments of the murder during protest marches organized by the young Black activists of this community that turned the tide.

Activists and community members held a rally in front of the Grand Rapids police headquarters after the announcement, celebrating the charges while reminding all present that this represents a first step in the long process to achieve justice for Patrick Lyoya.

#GrandRapidsMI #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #PatrickLyoya

Grand Rapids, MI – A crowd of hundreds marched to the Grand Rapids City Commissioners meeting, April 12, to demand both the release of the raw video showing the murder of Patrick Lyoya and the arrest of the still-unnamed killer cop. Lyoya was a 26-year-old Congolese immigrant executed by the Grand Rapids Police Department last week. In the days after his death, citywide mourning and protests against the police have increased and are expected to surge after the release of the video this Wednesday.

The police department has continued to stall the footage, while the city insists it is acting in full transparency. Patrick’s father, Peter Lyoya, said the video shows his son murdered “execution style” on the ground. The family has said the narrative of the department, that there was a “struggle,” runs counter to the facts.

The Royal Black Panther Party of Grand Rapids organized the march to the meeting. It was attended by hundreds of community members and weaved through all the major streets of downtown. “Say his name! Patrick Lyoya!” and “You can’t stop the revolution! GRPD is not the solution!” echoed through the city.

Before the protest, barricades were erected around the police station. A few of the businesses downtown have boarded up their windows with “Patrick Lyoya” painted on the plywood.

The protesters stopped in front of City Hall and were led through chants of “I am! A revolutionary!” and “Black power!” before crowding into the building. Demonstrators were led up in groups due to capacity limits, while the rest stayed on the first floor to continue chanting and watching the livestream in an overflow room.

City Manager Mark Washington, near the beginning of the meeting, said the video will be released tomorrow at 3 p.m. during a livestream with the police chief, who will “provide context” for the images. The video provided Wednesday will be compiled from nine different sources. GRPD Chief Eric Winstrom released a statement warning the video has “graphic images resulting in the loss of life” and will be tagged with an age restriction on the city’s YouTube page.

During public comments, calls for the release of the video, the arrest of the unnamed killer cop and the resignation of the entire commissioner board were prevalent. A few speakers acknowledged their continued presence at the meetings over the past few years, and the city’s inaction in resolving the GRPD’s brutality, which has left local activists with physical injuries and mental trauma.

Commissioners were called out by name for failing to do their jobs and for their “crocodile tears” now that the attention is on them. One local woman said her husband was murdered by the GRPD, and her 12-year-old child was too traumatized to attend the meeting.

The meeting lasted well over four hours. Further protests have already been scheduled after the release of the video, including a call to action on Friday, April 15.

#GrandRapidsMI #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #PatrickLyoya #GrandRapidsPoliceDepartment