Pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted a City Council meeting in Berkeley, California, shouting derogatory terms towards Jewish members and accusing them of being influenced by money from the Jewish community. The protesters shouted “Zionist pigs!” and “End Israel!” during a meeting that included a vote on marking Holocaust Remembrance Day. They also accused council members of being “genocide” enablers, “traitors to this country,” and “spies for Israel.” The protesters interrupted a speech by 89-year-old Holocaust survivor Susanne DeWitt, who was urging the Council to adopt a proclamation for Holocaust Remembrance Day due to a surge in antisemitism.
The protesters at the Berkeley City Council meeting constantly interrupted DeWitt as she spoke about the Holocaust and the Israeli conflict with Hamas, accusing her of lying and heckling her. They also shouted “Lies!” and constantly disrupted the meeting. In response to the protesters, DeWitt urged them to stop heckling and interrupting the meeting. The protest escalated as one protester referred to the Council as a “Zionist stronghold” and claimed that the people of Berkeley support Palestine. The disruptive protest reflects rising tensions surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict, with concerns about antisemitism at The University of California, Berkeley.
The Jewish Community Relations Council shared videos of the Berkeley City Council meeting, showing the disruptive protests and derogatory comments made by the protesters. The council denounced the protesters’ behavior, highlighting that the meeting’s agenda focused on marking Holocaust Remembrance Day and educational programs, not the Israel-Hamas conflict. The protesters’ accusations of members being influenced by money from the Jewish community were met with strong condemnation. The disruption of DeWitt’s speech, an elderly Holocaust survivor, further fueled the tensions at the meeting.
The disruption of the Berkeley City Council meeting is part of a larger trend of rising tensions surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict and concerns about antisemitism in the community. Pro-Palestinian protests at The University of California, Berkeley, have also led to disruptions and slurs against Jewish attendees. Accusations of being bought by the Jewish community and derogatory comments towards Jewish members have inflamed tensions in the community. The disruptive protests reflect deep-seated divisions and escalating conflicts surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Berkeley and beyond.
The protest at the Berkeley City Council meeting underscores the deep divides and rising tensions surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict and concerns about antisemitism. The disruptive behavior of the protesters, including shouting derogatory terms towards Jewish members and accusing them of being influenced by money from the Jewish community, has sparked outrage and condemnation. The disruption of a speech by an elderly Holocaust survivor further highlights the deep-rooted tensions in the community. The incidents at the meeting reflect broader concerns about antisemitism and rising conflict in the community.
