Protest of AIPAC Fundraiser
 New York
January 29, 2009

January 29th is probably a day Howard Kohr, Executive Director of AIPAC,  would like to forget. Confronted this time by hundreds who turned out to protest AIPAC fundraiser. Protesters were inspired to action by the intentionally-inflicted suffering of the 1.5 million people of Gaza, funded by US tax-dollars. There certainly seems to be an escalation in the fight to Stop the AIPAC agenda of war and occupation, and we can hope that this is just the beginning.

The protest had some 250 participants, and ended with the arrest of 10 young people who took direct action to blockade the entrance to the gala.

The Marriot blockade comes on the heels of several similar actions opposing Israel’s recent conduct that have occurred in cities around the world such as Toronto (where eight Jewish women occupied the Israeli consulate) and San Francisco and at over a dozen universities in England.   In its scope, tactics, and goals, the movement to end the Israeli occupation of Palestine recalls the movement that arose in opposition to Apartheid in South Africa.  Campaign participant Conor Tomás Reed said, “the blockade is a contribution to this international struggle and can serve as a catalyst for future actions.”

May a Thousand Protests Bloom.

See the photos of this protest, taken by a Brooklyn-based photojournalist Vanissa Chan (as was the one above). Some of those can be seen at the Stop AIPAC gallery here. Vanissa's full photo gallery of this protest (and others) can be found here. 

Bookmark this page and we will update you as to the legal ordeals of the young people arrested, who deserve our respect, admiration, and most importantly our emulation. Never again should aipac events go quietly in the night... or day.