Hundreds of Gaza pro-ceasefire protesters, including 500 members and supporters of Jewish Voice for Peace-New York City (JVP-NYC), a Jewish anti-Zionist activist organization, gathered in a sit-in demonstration at the Statue of Liberty on Monday afternoon.
The members and supporters waved flags and banners and sang pro-peace songs during the protest.
Sit-in Demonstration at the Statue of Liberty
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 6: Activists from Jewish Voice for Peace return to the ferry after occupying the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty on November 6, 2023 in New York City. The group has been occupying high profile New York City locations calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The protest occurred on the same day as the Palestinian health ministry announced the number of Palestinians killed since October 7 in Gaza.
Monday's rally was the second mass demonstration in the last ten days in New York City organized by the group. Furthermore, hundreds of protestors wearing black shirts with pro-ceasefire messages that read "The Whole World is Watching" and "Never Again for Anyone" gathered at Grand Central Station on October 27.
Besides the members of JVP-NYC, photographer, artist, and activist Nan Goldin was also present in the sit-in demonstration. Goldin said the protesters must yell louder, no matter who attempts to silence them.
Sarah Koshar, spokesperson for JVP-NYC, said that the Statue of Liberty was a meaningful venue for the demonstration. On Liberty Island, the protestors sang in unison, "ceasefire now," and returned to their ferries bound for Manhattan.
New York State Assembly member Zohran Mamdani, a socialist who represents Queens, was also in the crowd and shared that he went to the demonstration as a "New Yorker of conscious."
"My ancestors were greeted by the Statue of Liberty while escaping pogroms. While it is a symbol of refuge for my family, I am hauntingly aware that the US denied entry to Jewish refugees throughout the entirety of the Holocaust," she said.
According to The Messenger, other humanitarian organizations worked with the United Nations to call for a ceasefire in Gaza on Monday. On Saturday, tens of thousands attended a pro-Palestinian rally in Washington DC, while others rallied in New York, Seattle, and several other cities.
Israel-Hamas War
About 10,000 Palestinians were killed while more than 1,400 Israelis were dead, and more than 200 hostages were taken during the Hamas attack on Israel. Most casualties were civilians in Israel and Palestine.
Tens of thousands were injured, and nearly half of the homes were destroyed and damaged. Over 1.4 million Palestinians fled their territory during the bombing on the October 7 attack.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that there would be no ceasefire without the return of the hostages. US President Joe Biden's steadfast support also goes to Israel.
Furthermore, Biden noted no ceasefire as no votes were recorded in Michigan, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. But according to AP News, Biden calls for a humanitarian pause in the Israel-Hamas war.
The Statue of Liberty demonstration was the latest high-profile protest organized or co-led by JVP. The organization also led demonstrations at the US Capitol building grounds and the White House.
