Kentwood Mayoral Candidate Supports Radical Anti-Police Group

October 12, 2021

Lansing, Mich., October 12, 2021 – A Kentwood Mayoral candidate is coming under fire for her support of the radical group Justice for Black Lives (JFBL). After JFBL began inciting riots last year, homicides in Grand Rapids went up 250% from the previous year. Now, Kentwood residents are concerned to see a JFBL supporter running as their Mayor. In 2020, when JFBL and “Defund GRPD” incited riots engulfed Grand Rapids, Emily Bridson was supporting the groups on social media:

Bridson’s support of groups seeking to defund the police is too radical for many moderate West Michigan families. With groups like JFBL continuing to sow unrest and threaten the safety of Grand Rapids in the streets and at City Commission meetings, Bridson is still refusing to disavow the radicals who are committed to sowing further unrest in Kent County.

“Bridson thinks she can fly under the radar and quietly support these radical groups, but she is mistaken,” said Eric Ventimiglia, Executive Director for Michigan Rising Action. Ventimiglia continued, “Defunding the police would put our communities at risk and send Kentwood in a very dangerous direction.”