“I am not resisting arrest. I am going peacefully.”
Those are the words Jessica Plichta said into the camera as she was arrested during an interview by a WZZM television news crew after a rally Saturday protesting U.S. military action in Venezuela.
“As soon as the light for the interview turned off, two police officers came up behind me and said, ‘Put your hands on your head. You're under arrest,” and so I went peacefully with them.”
Plichta is the founder of Grand Rapids Opponents of War, an online organization. She says she recently returned from a peace conference in Venezuela and spoke at Saturday’s street march in downtown Grand Rapids.
“We condemn the abduction of Maduro. We say free Maduro, and we condemn the escalation and acts of war against Venezuela.”
Plichta says she was charged for failure to obey the lawful order of a police officer.
A statement from a Grand Rapids Police Department spokesperson reads:
“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.”
The on-camera arrest is garnering national media attention, but Plichta says she wants to keep the focus on the message.
“We want no more escalation or attacks on Venezuela from the US. We do not want our tax funding escalation and attacks on Venezuela.”
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