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News :: Race |
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Saturdays Boston Common Anti Israeli Wall Demo Report Back |
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by Stop Killing Balata's Children
(No verified email address) |
26 Dec 2005
Modified: 06:19:32 PM |
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About 15 Palestine solidarity activists gathered on the Boston common Saturday to protest the ongoing occupation and theft of land by Israeli forces throughout the west bank. We gathered to educate people about the hardship it causes the residents of Bethlehem and Jerusalem both Christian, Muslim and other. Due to media and Israeli military censorship people are generally unable to witness the construction of the wall first hand and to see the racism of the occupation and its structures. |
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A mock Apartheid wall was erected in front of the Christmas chresh manger scene representing the Bible story of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Today Bethlehem is almost completely cut off by a concrete wall that is twice as high as the Berlin wall and streches in various forms four times as long. Designed to steal farms, land and water resources from the indiginious residents of Palestine and strangle their communities to death the wall has become an infamous icon of Zionist colonization and American imperialism in the near and middle east.
The wall we constructed awoke powerful reactions from the public some who demanded that it be taken down or moved away from a site of religious significance to many. Some shouted "move it" and "take it down". Americans disturbed by the sight of our "Israeli apartheid annexation wall" pointed out in no uncertain terms the offensive nature of it. The builders of the wall endured several assaults and many insults including "get a job", "get a life" and "your an alcoholic".
Many folks sympathized with the plight of Palestinians some joining in to carry signs like "Freedom For Palestine", "Victory to the Intifada", "the wall will fall- Bilin to Abu Dis" and "The right of Return"(is sacred).
After an hour at least 10 law enforcement personnel including Boston city police, National Park rangers and undercover detectives arrived to get the wall moved. They tried provenly unsuccessful tactics such as threatening dedicated activists with arrest and saying things like "You don't have a permit", "your blocking peoples access"(to Jesus) and "take me to your leader, I want to talk to your leader.".
Eventually a high level police official who had clearly gotten to the rank for his skills as a bully was summoned to effect a show of force and wrap up the nice afternoon in the park for the police who had taken to standing around catching rays, watching the show and talking shop. Cop shop that is.
It was a nice day for a demonstration, we generated a lot of discussion and despite the few insults, threats and assaults people seemed to be empowered by the action and the support it got.
Photos
http://rule19.org/pgallery/05-deciw.htm
More Photos
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=2115708381&mode=guest
Video
http://1948wall.blogspot.com/
Video of hot protests against the wall in Bilin:
http://stage.co.il/s/476023
more info about the wall.
http://www.stopthewall.org/
http://www.palsolidarity.org
http://www.imemc.org
http://www.electronicintifada.org
http://www.ismboston.org
http://www.onepalestine.org
http://www.bcpr.org
http://www.divestmentproject.org
http://www.newjerseysolidarity.org/
http://pittsburgh.indymedia.org/news/2005/09/20714.php
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