Jessica Plichta says she was arrested by the Grand Rapids Police Department for failure to obey the lawful order of a police officer.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. —
Just days after Jessica Plichta’s arrest was caught on camera by 13 ON YOUR SIDE following an interview, the organizer is speaking out on her experience.
“I had just finished on my interview with WZZM 13, and as soon as the light to the camera shot off, two police officers came up behind me and said, ‘Put your hands on your head. You’re under arrest,’” she said. “And grabbed each of my arms with the mic still in my hand, and took me to the police car.”
Plichta says she was arrested for failure to obey a lawful order of a police officer, which happened after marching in the streets of Grand Rapids against U.S. actions in Venezuela on Jan. 3.
She is an organizer with Grand Rapids Opponents of War and Freedom Road Socialist Organization.
“I was put in the police car, and they drove me to a secondary location, because they said I was making a scene. And so they got me out at the secondary location,” she said. “They had me bend over the police car, they patted me down, ruined my belongings, and then they put me back in the police car without buckling my seat belt and drove me to [the Kent County jail].”
She says processing at the jail took a while, and she remained in the holding area for about three hours until she was released.
“When people are exercising the right to protest in a world full of escalating violence, it’s jarring to have the police work against you,” she said. “But not surprising, not surprising at all. I’ve seen it happening to pro-Palestine protesters the past few years. I wasn’t surprised, just disappointed.”
13 ON YOUR SIDE reached out to the City of Grand Rapids to ask what the penalties are for these charges and if it is city policy to arrest people who violate those city charges.
In response, a city spokesperson sent the following city codes:
City Code Title X, Article 5, section 10.28 provides; “No person shall stand in the traveled portion of any roadway, except to avoid contact with vehicles lawfully on the roadway.” Pursuant to Section 10.29 a violation of that section of the code is a civil infraction.
City Code Title X, Article 7, Section 10.129 provides “Where sidewalks are provided, it shall be unlawful for pedestrians to walk upon the main traveled portion of the roadway. Where sidewalks are not provided, pedestrians shall, when practicable, walk on the left berm or shoulder of the roadway facing traffic which passes nearest unless otherwise directed by the proper signs or markings.” As referenced in the City Code, this is similar to the state law MCL 257.676b. MCL 257.676b is a civil infraction.
Failure to Obey a Lawful Command is a disorderly conduct offense pursuant to our City Code, Title X, Chapter 152, Article 1, Section 9.135(2). Pursuant to the general penalty provisions of section 1.13 a person convicted off a disorderly conduct offense shall be punished as follows,
“(a) By a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00); or
(b) By imprisonment for not more than ninety (90) days; or
(c) By both a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) and by imprisonment for not more than ninety (90) days. “
Plichta claims she chose to remain silent, but GRPD officers were questioning her throughout the car ride.
“I was surprised, because, you know, Detroit, they often have marches and rallies in the street with far more people, with not really any police presence,” she said. “And yet, when we do it in Grand Rapids, there’s this escalation. So it’s like, why is Grand Rapids seem to be the only city in Michigan where protesting is illegal. I believe it’s our sacred right in this country to protest, and we hold family friendly protests.”
A statement from a Grand Rapids Police Department spokesperson says:
A group was marching in the roadway. Over 25 announcements were made from the PA system of a marked police cruiser for the group to leave the roadway and relocate their activities to the sidewalk. Blocking traffic in this manner is a direct violation of city and state law. The group refused lawful orders to move this free speech event to the sidewalk and instead began blocking intersections until the march ended. Patrol officers consulted with their sergeant and the watch commander who informed the officers that if the individuals could be located, they were subject to arrest. The adult woman who was arrested was positively identified by officers, and the lawful arrest was made.
Plichta says she will be notified when a charge is officially filed.
She hopes that her arrest does not deter others from taking action.
“I think it’s valid to be scared, but it’s not valid to sit back and do nothing with your fear,” she said. “I think you should harness your fear into doing something and making a difference in the world where, you know, people will claim that a street march is horrible, but you know what, a street march, a peaceful march in the streets, is far more peaceful when the world is escalating violence at a drastic rate.”
13 ON YOUR SIDE is working to confirm the potential charge against Plichta.