In an unexpected scene outside Hoboken City Hall, two groups hosting rallies about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East: with one calling for a ceasefire and the other urging to stand strong for Israel.
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View
“Free, free Palestine! From the River to the Sea Palestine will be free!” activist Evelyn Ibarra, who runs the Foundry Girl Instagram page, declared as she led a chant.
“From the river to the Sea” is a “call for peace and equality after 75 years of Israeli statehood and decades-long opened Israeli military rule over millions of Palestinians. We just want the violence to end on both sides. We are trying our best. We are not drawing up solutions,” she told HCV.
Hudson County Democratic Socialists of America leader Isaac Jimenez has also emphatically came out in support of a ceasefire.
“Not another nickel, not another for Israel’s crime,” local Democratic Socialists of America leader Isaac Jimenez chanted.
“Not another nickel, not another for Israel’s crime,” he chanted.
“We say no to genocide. We refuse to send any of our tax dollars to or for genocide,” Meera Jaffrey, of the Ceasefire JC group, said regarding Israel’s intense war efforts.
“We want our silent elected officials to hear our voices loud and clear. Ceasefire now!”
While Hoboken police officers were closely monitoring the simultaneous events, the tensions between the two sides boiled over at times.
“You’re all Hamas! You’re all Hamas!” a man shouted at the ceasefire advocates.
This prompted the crowd to angrily chant “Ceasefire now!”
Everyone has a right for bombs to not rain on their homes! These atrocities must end!” Maya Ponton Aronoff exclaimed.
“F*** you terrorist lovers!” a man in a black mask exclaimed as he passed the scene.
Ceasefire now!” the crowd yelled back at him.
Rutgers University professor and Hoboken resident Audrey Truschke alleged many thousands of Gazan children have died in the war.
“Israel has bombed every single university in Gaza,” she claimed, as well as that many Palestinians have been captured and imprisoned.
She also noted that Hoboken is supposed to be a “sanctuary city” welcoming refugees and undocumented immigrants, therefore, they should support a ceasefire, as neighboring Union City has.
Additionally, Jenny LaBenz was introduced as a Jewish anti-Zionist, which means she does not support Israel. She identified herself as an observant Jew.
“I choose repentance. I choose life! I choose honesty and morality. My Judaism demands that I stand up here and ask for a stop to the carnage. I am my brother’s keeper!” she declared.
LaBenz explained that Zionism, calling for a Jewish State in the Middle East, developed as a theory to combat anti-Semitism in the 19th century.
“There is a better way to combat anti-Semitism!” she argued.
LaBenz called for everyone to work together for peace.
Free Palestine!” the crowd chanted.
Steven Marlow, of NJ Peace Action, noted their goal was for the city council to pass a ceasefire resolution, humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, and the release of all hostages.
“We all want to end the killing of innocent civilians.It’s the right thing to do.. That shouldn’t happen. That is why we stand against bigotry and racism in all its forms.”
Ibarra spoke again, noting she was unhappy about the counter-protest music and noise and accused them of being in favor of slaughter.
“Shame on you!” the ceasefire crowd chanted.
“How shameful that these people not only steal our land, steal our culture, slaughter innocent children and people. They can’t even hold their own f****** rally!” she exclaimed.
“I am not anti-Semitic!” Ibarra declared to cheers. “These are racist people our elected officials are protecting. We just want this senseless slaughter to end, and we want all hostages returned on both sides! We do not condone any violence.”
At that point, individuals from the different groups started shouting at each other in a futile fashion as police looked on.
The pro-Israel counter-protestors were on one corner of the opposite side of Hoboken City Hall by CVS and then marched to the corner on the left side of City Hall.
Karen Schmidt, from the pro-Israeli group, which didn’t have anyone publicly addressing the crowd, spoke to HCV. She said that they also wanted peace and the return of the hostages and didn’t think the other group sufficiently noted that nor who started the war.
“This is organized by a bunch of local Hoboken residents in response to the protest that is planned for peace. But we believe to be against peace. We believe they’re going about it in a very wrong way,” she explained.
“We are in solidarity with Israel. We are in solidarity with Israel’s right to exist. We want a peaceful solution. We had peace on October 6th, until Hamas, which is the ruling party of Gaza, came in and attacked Israel unprovoked and with acts of war that are inhumane.”
She reiterated that there was abduction of innocent babies and grandparents were murdered.
“The way to peace is not protesting and spreading lies in the community,” Schmidt argued.
She wanted a return of the hostages taken on October 7th by Hamas, as well as to eliminate Hamas’ military capacity, which she argued was unrepentant regarding starting the war.
Schmidt said the organizers of the ceasefire group were unwilling to speak to the pro-Israeli group, mirroring the lack of progress in the Middle East.
“They have been sharing propaganda broadly and loudly. They have blocked us. There is no other solution,” she argued.
Schmidt did not support the allegation that Israel is committing inhuman atrocities, stating that the population of Gaza was growing quickly prior to the war.
“That’s a pretty damning lie. To be blocked and unwilling to engage in conversation and to simply try to be loud about it is not a way to achieve peace,” Schmidt argued.
The pro-Israeli group chanted, “Bring them home,” and played loud music, to the dismay of the ceasefire advocates.
Silence is deadly. C’mon Ravi, speak up!
Ravi is very busy moving illegals from Texas into his home right now.
Ok, maybe not. The only reason Ravi would be in Texas is for picking up loot.
Quintero, Cohen and Bhalla are often quick to opine on national issues – typically ones over which they have no control. As a Congressional Candidate, however, Bhalla actually should share his thoughts on this issue – and I am eager to hear what he has to say.
What a joke using the word slaughter is what they did to the isreali
Wow look at these out of town LOW LIFES and Jew haters….”They can’t even hold their own f****** rally!” she exclaimed.”
They attack peaceful Jews in our town
Jey Labenz and The Do Good Donuts GAl are BOTH TEAM BHALLA appointments
So much for a fair hearing on Rent Control or Cannabis if you have to appear before these two sicko Jew haters of Team Bhalla
He appointed some pretty radical Anti Israel lunatics… Imagine what he’ll do in Congress?
Palestinians? With Latinx last names? Hoboken has been discovered by the Communists.
Why dies Dan throw in “unexpected”? There were several news reports on it so maybe he didn’t see them? People need to be mindful of not encouraging more violence. River to the sea does want help nor does turning away from humans being killed by the thousands in raja. Get together and stop rallying.
Ravi’s mouthpiece will tell him what to say about this when the poll results are in.
Ravi was never my friend.
Check out the Crazy Cannabis board appointee and owner of Do Good Donuts rant on a crazy self pity filled any Israel post on her IG feed! I’m happily boycotting Do Good Joey No Nuts and Ali Baba
Personally many in my community are boycotting with our feet and NEVER buying from those places ever!
Anyone that Carries Do Good is also on our Boycott list
Who needs them with Mojo, hive, Bwe, and empire nearby!
He may not have Nuts in his products, but he certainly has them in his brains
Let them rely on the Rent Control Radical Jenny LABEnz and her whacko Zion haters
I have always found when someone says they are not anti-semetic they are indeed anti-semetic.
You can expect the Pro-Hamas, “River to the Sea” roadshow from JC, Union City, Stevens College, Emily Ibarra, Joey Is Nuts, Do Good Donuts, et al to come to the Hoboken City Council to push a ceasefire resolution. Hoboken’s Jewish community and their many Hoboken allies will not receive this well. What will the Hoboken Council do?
#AmIsraelChai 🇮🇱✡️
What Hamas did on October 7th was outrageous and a strong response was in order but Israel needs to tone this offensive way down. Too many people have died.