Large Gaza Protest Forms Outside White House

[Comrade Grumpy]

Source: ABC News

WASHINGTON — A pro-Palestinian rally and march on the White House drew thousands today, turning Pennsylvania Avenue and Lafayette Square, the park opposite the White House, into a sea of demonstrators. Waving Palestinian flags, chanting, “Free free Palestine” and “five, six, seven, eight, Israel is an apartheid state,” and holding signs that read “Free Palestine, Let Gaza Live,” the demonstrators gathered around a small stage in the park and eventually marched down Pennsylvanian Ave.

<snip>

Protesters criticized Israel’s “occupation” of Palestinian territory and President Obama’s assertions that Israel has the “right to defend itself” in the face of Hamas rockets. That defense has meant a string of attacks on Hamas targets in Gaza that have brought criticism even from Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry, who have said Israel should do more to prevent civilian casualties.

The rally turned contentious early on, as pro-Palestinian demonstrators and a handful of pro-Israeli protesters, waving a few Israeli flags and holding signs critical of Palestinians and Hamas, confronted each other just feed from the White House lawn. As the two groups taunted each other, one young pro-Palestinian man erupted in a serious of profanities and had to be restrained by a friend.

At one point, police moved metal barriers into place around the pro-Israeli demonstrators and asked pro-Palestinian demonstrators to move back, which they appeared to do without incident. Pro-Palestinians urged their fellow demonstrators to move away and not focus on the Israel supporters.

The rally was organized by the Answer Coalition, a self-described anti-war and anti-racism group that supports Palestine. The group spread invitations via Facebook, one demonstrator said. Many protesters held signs depicting casualties of Israel’s Gaza offensive, and many were strongly anti Israel.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2014/08/large-gaza-protest-forms-outside-white-house/

---

I hope the president is listening. But I doubt it.

[Uncle Joe]

1. They need to take it to Congress as well.

Thanks for the thread, Comrade Grumpy.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Good for them. Thank you. n/t

[n2doc]

3. Is anybody there?

We know CONgress s gone. Obama is probably out fundraising.

[ReRe]

5. AJ America said...

...PO was playing golf and off to Camp David, i.e. nowhere around. They also showed a little bit of the protest. I wonder if the protest made it onto any of the MSM? Doubt it.

[brooklynite]

4. Answer is too leftist to be taken seriously

They're welcome to protest, but shouldn't assume it'll have any impact on public or political opinion.

[socialist_n_TN]

8. Ah yes, the old "Too leftist to be taken seriously" canard.....

Too leftist for whom? Certainly not for me. In fact I would bet they're to the right of me. Too leftist for the Third Way perhaps?

[brooklynite]

13. How about, too leftist for anyone not a political activist/blogger?

Please point to any influence Answer have been able to exert on any issue they've advocated for?

[ForgoTheConsequence]

18. We need more activists.

And less arm chair third way criticism. Activists are what brought us the civil rights movement and unions, your ilk brought us Vietnam and Reagan.

[Hulk]

6. I expect these demonstrations to do very little, except

to show the rest of the world that we are not ALL puppets to the Israeli military machine. Israel uses Palestine as a testing ground for their weapons. Once again, I provide the video:

&feature=em-share_video_user

There is more to this than the harmless rockets that Hamas is lobbing over the wall into Israeli territory. I firmly believe that bibi wants the Gaza residents to seriously consider who they elect to represent them the next time around. Hamas has been a nightmare of incompetence. Israel will NEVER give up their grip on these people, they consider sub-human. We will ALWAYS be puppets to the Israeli military machine. Our economy thrives on it.

[2banon]

20. It's the modern technology for extermination through gassing. wow.

[jaysunb]

7. Pretty nast comments with the story.

they reflect a clear example of the ignorance and hatred for Arabs and Muslims in general. Facts be damned.

[socialist_n_TN]

9. As an aside......

Were all those typos and misspellings a part of an ABC story? Or was it just mistakes in transcribing?

Yep they were a part of the story. Just read it. I can't believe ANY editor who knows the language would let those two mistakes go by.

[Spider Jerusalem]

10. I love how they put "occupation" in quotes.

Nope, no bias in the US news media, at all.

[seveneyes]

11. Good on USA. Try protesting Hamas in Gaza

Hamas kills protesters and uses their bodies for photo shoots.

[Comrade Grumpy]

12. You inspired me to look for links to your claim.

All I found was right-wing bullshit.

Israel, on the other hand, has killed 13 protesters in the West Bank in the past week.

[7962]

14. They know they'll be killed if they do it there. And "Answer" is a joke.

Look what Hamas does to suspected "collaborators". No trial, dont even have to be proof. You're murdered.
"Answer" supports ANYTHING anti-Israel. Have for years.

[kelliekat44]

15. There should be a call for massive protest for all who are ashamed of what is going on in Gaza.

It should include all humanity all over the country. The apologists should stay home and see how many people are really fed up with the genocide. Many people are fearful of showing their true feelings and this what Israeli government counts on, fear and intimidation. But huge numbers of protestors will make them think again. I would attend...who else? And I haven't protested since the Viet Nam War. I lost 9 relatives to Iraq. I am sick and tired of occupiers and killing innocent children in the name of defense. I am sick and tired of people who will not call this what it is...war crimes against the innocent. It's time for a "clean break" in the right place.

I give this. It could well be a speech for today just substitute Gaza for Hanoi and Palestinians for Vietnamese. The pain and suffering is the same and on all sides.

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkatimetobreaksilence.htm

[countryjake]

16. The DC Demo...

50,000 protested in Washington, D.C., in solidarity with Gaza in the face of the ongoing
U.S.-backed Israeli massacre

http://www.answercoalition.org/




Free Palestine!
Let Gaza Live!

Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions
Free Palestine!

[2naSalit]

17. Thanks for posting

these images!!

[ForgoTheConsequence]

19. Apparently answer is under the bus now.

When did this board make a hard shift right? I'm guessing those who are against answer are those same "democrats" who gave Bush the benefit of the doubt on Iraq. No wonder this country is a mess ,pro war, pro death assholes in both parties.

[Dreamer Tatum]

22. ANSWER was recognized as full of shit here many years ago

Could never stay on topic, for openers.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

23. Sure they were.

....By the DLC pro-war contingent maybe.

[Bigmack]

21. Too few know, or choose to remember, that Israel was created

by the British out of Palestinian land. It is the last European colony in the Middle East. The survivors of the horrific holocaust should have been given Bavaria, NOT Palestinian land. Ms Bigmack