Photos: May 21 ‘Rally for Palestine’ in Princeton


More than 1,000 people attended a rally on Friday evening, May 21, on Hinds Plaza in Princeton to show their support for Palestinians and call for an end to call to attacks by Israel on Gaza. The “Emergency Rally to End the Siege on Palestine” organizers included Jewish Voices for Peace, American Muslims for Palestine-NJ, the Central Jersey Democratic Socialists of America, and the Princeton Committee on Palestine.
Rally participants called on the Israeli government to not bomb Gaza, to end the eviction of Palestinians from East Jerusalem, return land they say was stolen from Palestinians by Israeli settlers in the West Bank, and allow the return of Palestinian refugees who were expelled from their homes from 1947 to 1949.
A small counter-protest took place across the street from the rally. There were some tense moments as protesters and counter-protesters faced off and shouted at each other.
There was a strong police presence at the event. The rally ended peacefully after about two hours.
All photos by Charles Phox.
All photos by Charles Phox.
Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.
Were any of the protesters carrying signs that spoke in favor of Israel’s right to exist? The main issue in this conflict is the stated desire of Hamas and most Mid-Eastern countries to destroy the country of Israel. I don’t seem any acknowledgement in the protest that Israel has been attacked from Day 1 of its existence. Do the protestor realize that Hamas started the recent military conflict by firing missiles into Israel and only then did Israel respond militarily?
Actually the growth of Hamas, not unlike the growth of orthodoxy and rights wing extremism in Israel and Gaza is not unlike the growth of Al Kaida and the Taliban. Israel is heavily subsidized militarily by the US, and a country that claims it’s the only Democracy in the Near East, but for years has kept thousands of its citizens as second and third class. An increasing right wing orthodox community that has great power and financial backing from wealthy donors all over the world, including Christian evangelicals and people with great reputations like Kushner and the former casino magnate Adelson, continue to cause a further erosion of human rights, not just in the territories but within Israel.
This demonstration was about not using violence, whether by Hamas or Israel to solve a political problem.