A variety of Boston metropolis councilors described being “blindsided” by a controversial decision put ahead by one in all their colleagues, honoring two college students for organizing a pro-Palestinian walkout at their highschool final week.
The quotation, put ahead by Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson, was offered on behalf of your complete City Council to New Mission High School college students Kameela Blackmon and Aliyah Mohamed — who then went on to make divisive statements in regards to the Israel-Hamas conflict throughout a Wednesday assembly.
“From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” Mohamed mentioned, repeating a phrase that has been condemned by the Anti-Defamation League as antisemitic, and one which has been used as a rallying cry for pro-Palestinian activists within the wake of the lethal Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist assault on Israel and retaliatory bombings in Gaza.
Blackmon, the self-described scholar physique president of New Mission High School, described the Israeli “occupation of Palestine” as “genocide.”
The college students, Fernandes Anderson mentioned on the assembly, have been being honored for his or her “incredible achievement in activism, organizing leadership,” in addition to their “inspiring” dedication to “making a positive change in the world.”
City Council President Ed Flynn mentioned that he by no means would have signed on to the decision because the physique’s chief, or allowed the presentation, had he “known the context and details” of each, including that he strongly objected to and condemned a message that he discovered to be “blatantly antisemitic.”
“When Councilor Fernandes Anderson and her office approached my office about doing a presentation, we were told that it was to recognize two students, and there was no mention of what the students are recognized for specifically,” Flynn mentioned in a press release. “I was surprised and dismayed when the two students began their speeches, which included language that deeply hurt the Jewish community.”
Council displays, Flynn mentioned, are by no means meant to be controversial matters. Fernandes Anderson was current on the scholar walkout final week, a Boston Public Schools spokesperson informed the Herald, including that the concerned college students weren’t disciplined for the protest.
Three councilors, Frank Baker, Sharon Durkan and Michael Flaherty, walked out of the Council chamber to keep away from being photographed with the scholars following the prolonged presentation, whereas Erin Murphy mentioned she intentionally stood aside from the group on the podium in order that she wouldn’t be captured within the photograph or on video.
“There’s a lot of interpretation of the statement, ‘from the river to the sea,’ ” Baker informed the Herald. “My interpretation of it is that that’s a call for genocide on Jewish people. I’m glad we’re honoring kids for finding their voice and everything like that, but we’re teaching kids to hate — and that’s a hateful message right there.”
Baker described the way in which the decision was put ahead by Fernandes Anderson, with out an evidence or time for the physique to contemplate it, as a “surprise attack.”
“That was a Hamas attack,” Baker mentioned. “Surprise.”
Murphy added that “it felt blindsided in that way,” saying that though the quotation was offered on behalf of your complete City Council, she didn’t learn about it earlier than the assembly, and didn’t learn it or log off on it.
“I think it’s important for myself too, like even if I sat through it and didn’t leave the room, it in no way meant that I supported or agreed with what the students were saying,” Murphy informed the Herald.
Flaherty described the presentation as a “sad combination of indoctrination and TikTok ignorance at work.”
“The students should have stayed in class and learned about the true meaning of their offensive and antisemitic remarks instead of staging a walkout,” Flaherty informed the Herald. “It begs the question: Where were the adults?”
While the council president has the choice to cease a presentation, reminiscent of by turning off a speaker’s mic, Baker mentioned that if Flynn selected to go that route, it may have “escalated a situation.”
Durkan, who may very well be seen leaving the Chamber as quickly as Flynn known as up his colleagues to take a gaggle photograph with the scholars, ignored a request for remark from the Herald, refusing to reply questions in regards to the matter.
Also ignoring requests for remark from the Herald have been Councilors Fernandes Anderson, who was contacted a number of occasions; Ruthzee Louijeune, who has said she has the votes to grow to be council president subsequent time period and was contacted twice; Liz Breadon, who represents a big Jewish constituency in Allston/Brighton and was contacted twice; Ricardo Arroyo and Julia Mejia, who have been contacted as soon as.
Councilor Brian Worrell, who was vying for the presidency however tentatively agreed to grow to be the physique’s vp, declined remark by way of a spokesperson.
Fernandes Anderson was requested to answer the criticism made by her colleagues, whereas the remaining councilors, who all selected to participate within the photograph, have been requested whether or not they have been shocked by the feedback or if their resolution to be photographed indicated their help for what was mentioned by the scholars.
Also photographed have been Flynn and Councilor Gabriela Coletta. Flynn “unequivocally” denounced Fernandes Anderson’s actions in “creating this situation at the Council this week.”
Coletta, who represents East Boston which is house to a number of the earliest waves of Jewish immigrants and Boston’s first Jewish cemetery, confirmed that she “didn’t know about the presentation ahead of time,” however ignored additional questions.
“My concern and focus is on the work, not the photos,” Coletta informed the Herald.
The “deeply hurtful display,” nevertheless, was criticized by the Boston Jewish Community Relations Council on X, the positioning previously generally known as Twitter on Friday.
The presentation follows a pro-Palestinian protest that delayed a City Council assembly final week, the place demonstrators known as upon the physique to help Fernandes Anderson’s decision for a ceasefire within the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Mejia co-sponsored the measure, which hasn’t gained any traction since being referred to committee in October.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”