The inclement weather did not stop hundreds of pro-Palestinian protestors from marching to the office of U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand on Friday, calling on Congress to put pressure on Israel for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and to allow humanitarian aid to enter the battered region.
Protestors say Israel’s continued air strikes on Gaza in response to the Hamas terror attack on Oct. 7 has killed too many innocent civilians in Gaza. The Hamas attacks left 1,400 Israelis dead, with 200 more kidnapped. To date, 4,000 people in Gaza have been killed.
The march began with a rally on Fifth Avenue outside the main branch of the New York City Public Library, with people chanting “Free Palestine,” waving Palestinian flags, and holding signs “Ceasefire Now,” before heading to the junior senator’s office on Third Avenue between 47th and 48th streets.
Around 130 protestors, including Council Member Shahana Hanif and state Sen. Jabari Brisport, were arrested by the NYPD after a display of civil disobedience in the form of a sit-in.
The event organizers included the New York City Democratic Socialists of America, Desis Rising Up and Moving, Jewish Voice for Peace NYC, and the Muslim American Society of N.Y.
At the rally, a slew of speakers addressed the crowd, including Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest as well as City Council members Tiffany Cabán and Alexa Aviles.
Forrest said the “bloodshed” could not go on unchecked.
“A ceasefire is not a sign of weakness but a testament to our strength as leaders and as peacemakers,” Forrest said. “By calling for a ceasefire, calling to bring the hostages home, calling for aid to be led into Gaza, we demonstrate our commitment to preserving life, promoting justice, and working towards a lasting solution.”
The rally continued to mark a split between Democrats who are aligned with the DSA and moderates.
The NYC-DSA has drawn the ire of Democrats such as Bronx Congress Member Ritchie Torres, who has been outspoken in his criticism of those protesting Israeli actions in the wake of the attack.
“I stand with Israel as she seeks to defend herself,” he said shortly after the terrorist attack. “Those who insist Israel do nothing in the face of terror are holding the Jewish State to a dangerous double standard that no other country, including our own, would ever accept.”
Another mainstream Democrat, Brooklyn U.S. Rep. and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, also condemned Hamas’ attack and made clear his support for Israel.
“The loss of life in Israel as a result of the violent, calculated and unprovoked attack by Hamas is heartbreaking,” Jeffries said. “America stands firmly and unequivocally with Israel.”
But DSA members remain critical of the Israeli government, despite condemning the Oct. 7 terrorist attack. They also argue that Washington should not be providing aid to Israel at this time.
Aviles declared solidarity at the rally with her “Jewish and Muslim neighbors,” condemning the use of taxpayers’ money to fund alleged human rights violations and called Israel’s airstrikes “ethnic cleansing.”
“How does continuing a cycle of indiscriminate violence, dehumanization, and forced migration credibly contribute to national security or peace?” Aviles asked.
Assemblymember Zohran Kwame Mamdani, who was arrested at a protest outside U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer’s house in Brooklyn last week, told amNewYork that they wanted Gillibrand to be on the side of what they deem as human rights.
“All that we have seen so far from so many of our leaders is carte blanche political support for Netanyahu whose decisions have led to the killing of 4,100 Palestinian civilians,” Mamdani said.
“We know that right now, President Biden is in the process of creating a package that will include more than $10 billion in U.S. military funding for Israel.”
Mamdani said the Hamas attacks were “horrific,” and condemned the attacks, but said they weren’t a justification for killing civilians.
“We must condemn the killing of civilians like Hamas killed Israeli civilians, but we cannot allow ourselves to use tragedy as a pretext for the creation of more tragedy,” Mamdani said.
“What we must do is address the conditions that have existed before Oct. 7. Those conditions are the siege on Gaza, the occupation, the status quo, which has led to more than seven or eight Israeli military incursions into Gaza.”
Hanif told amNewYork that a genocide was happening “before our eyes.”
“We are here tonight in our collective strength and power. Muslims, Palestinians, our Jewish allies, and neighbors in the demand for a ceasefire,” Hanif said.
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