New Yorkers, in the hundreds, held a late afternoon rally in Manhattan on Thursday to show solidarity with Palestinians, call a stop to the Israeli offensive in Gaza and an end to the seven year blockade.
It was one of many rallies for a national day of action to demand that local and national governments end their support of Israel's assault on Gaza. Families came joined by seniors, business people and students. The rally turned into a one-mile march, taking the group from Foley Square, down Broadway to City Hall.
New York, NY, July 24, 2014 – Tonight close to two thousand New Yorkers protested Israel’s military assault on Gaza in a rally at Foley Square. The crowd, led by protest organizers, spoke aloud the names and ages of the over 170 Palestinian children killed in Israel’s current assault. The protesters then marched through lower Manhattan carrying Palestinian flags and signs demanding an end to the US government’s and New York City elected officials’ support for Israel’s current massacre in Gaza, and Israel’s ongoing occupation and colonization of Palestine. They also called for a boycott of companies profiting from Israel’s human rights abuses, and an end to the siege of Gaza.
The march stepped off to the rhythms of an activist marching band, the Rude Mechanical Orchestra (RMO). Protesters chanted, “Israel bombs, we protest—boycott, sanction, and divest!” As the group passed, cars honked in support, and tourists videoed and gave thumbs-up signs. The march ended next to the Hudson River, where the RMO led the group in singing the popular Palestinian song “Wein a Ramallah.”
Adalah-NY and allied groups call for supporters of human rights to protest the Israeli assault on Gaza. As part of a national day of action, we will march to Lower Manhattan government buildings to demand that our local and national governments end their support of Israel’s current massacre in Gaza and its ongoing occupation and colonization of Palestine.
Please save the date and spread the word.
WHEN: Thursday, July 24, Gather at 5:00, March at 5:30
WHERE: Foley Square - Worth St, Centre St & Lafayette St
The easiest thing in the world for New York politicians–scratch that, any politician–is voicing support for Israel. It helps their fundraising and vote totals, and anything short of cheering on Israel’s military is a wish for negative media coverage.
When I asked US Congressman Jerrold Nadler at a pro-Israel rally on Monday whether our government bears any culpability for the mounting civilian death toll in Gaza, he called me an “ass” and stormed away.
Here's a question: why would the New York City Council and various other local and state politicians decide to wade into the miserable, never-ending, blood-filled dogpile that is the Israeli/Palestinian conflict? In what way does a press conference on the Middle East dovetail with the actual business of our elected officials here in New York? Could a press conference called "New York Stands with Israel" possibly serve any other concrete purpose except to be a magnet for controversy? Seriously, how could this possibly end well?
