Today, I braved an ice storm to video protests at the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference in Washington, DC.
The nasty weather didn’t stop a group of around 60 anti-Israel activists from storming the steps of the Washington Convention Center and blocking at least one entrance to the conference grounds. Code Pink and other anti-Israeli groups went into a frenzy against AIPAC, the “Israel lobby,” and what they believe is the “Apartheid” State of Israel.
I also saw harassment of men, women, and children who had done nothing to deserve it except make the mistake of revealing their conference badge before they reached the door. Those who were obviously religious Jews (based on their head coverings, clothing, and facial hair) got it worse. There were shouts of “Go Home” hurled at the attendees.
There was also the Hezbollah flag flying overhead, as this video shows. There were chants that “BDS is the best” (Boycott Divestment and Sanctions movement), and “The State of Israel’s Got to Go.”
At the door to the convention center, several people blocked the door. This included Ariel Gold and Beth Harris, the two women leading the movement to convince Greenstar Food Coop in Ithaca (NY) to boycott certain Israeli products, as we have previously covered.
Gold and a few others rushed and tried to block the door, and were arrested when they refused to leave (it is unclear if Harris was arrested, as she appeared to move away after the police announced they were under arrest)(update – apparently Harris was arrested too):
[Ariel Gold (on floor) Blocking Door][Photo Paulina Leonovich]
[Ariel Gold, Ithaca, NY][Image – News2Share Video]
[Ariel Gold Arrested AIPAC][Photo Abbas Hamideh]
[Beth Harris (Ithaca) – Shut Down AIPAC][Image – News2Share Video]
One of the protesters wore a Justice4Rasmea jacket, referring to convicted Jerusalem supermarket bomber Rasmea Odeh, who recently also was convicted of immigration fraud in Detroit.
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