Worcester City Council Meeting Disrupted by Pro-Palestinian Protestors Calling for Ceasefire in Gaza

The Worcester City Council adjourned its meeting Tuesday night after it was interrupted by pro-Palestinian protestors calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. The activists, opposing the ongoing war, had been pushing for the council to take up a citizen petition that supports an end to the conflict and the release of hostages held by Hamas militants.

The petition, which gathered over 1,500 signatures, was recently declined by the city clerk, who argued that it violated council rules as the issue fell outside of the city’s jurisdiction. Frustration mounted when supporters of the petition tried to address the council during the public comment period, only to be stopped by Mayor Joseph Petty, who insisted the topic was not on the agenda.

The council briefly considered suspending the rules to allow the activists to speak, but the vote failed. This triggered an uproar from the crowd, with dozens of protestors chanting “Let them speak” and “Free, free Palestine.” As tensions rose, Councilor Thu Nguyen criticized the council for silencing supporters of the petition.

“We cannot continue business as usual during a genocide of Palestinian folks and people in Gaza,” Councilor Nguyen said, adding that the decision to block the petitioners from speaking was wrong.

The meeting, which had already been delayed by the disruption, continued for 40 minutes before councilors voted to adjourn, acknowledging that they would not be able to accomplish anything as long as the protest persisted.

Following the adjournment, Claire Shaffer-Duffy, one of the petition organizers, expressed her frustration, stating that the disruption could have been avoided had the council allowed the speakers to present their case.

“There would have been no political cost to the council if they had just taken the motion to suspend the rules and let the council hear the rationale for this resolution,” said Shaffer-Duffy.

Councilor George Russell, who voted against suspending the rules, defended his stance, arguing that as a locally elected official, he didn’t believe the council should weigh in on foreign affairs. Worcester’s council has previously faced criticism for taking up international issues outside its purview, such as nuclear disarmament.

However, Shaffer-Duffy and other supporters of the ceasefire petition pointed out that the council had previously passed a resolution condemning Hamas’ attack on Israel. They argued that if the council could act on that issue, they should also consider the resolution calling for a ceasefire.

“The city administration violated its own precedent,” said Allie Cislo, another organizer of the petition and coordinator of the Worcester Havurah Jewish group. “We submitted our petition on time and followed the appropriate procedures. We should have been heard.”

While other Massachusetts communities, including Boston, Cambridge, and Medford, have passed resolutions supporting a ceasefire, some cities, like Brookline and Arlington, have chosen not to act on similar petitions, deeming them divisive or outside local government’s jurisdiction.

Before adjourning, Mayor Petty acknowledged the tragedy in the Middle East, stating, “Nobody likes what’s going on in the Middle East and the loss of life.” He added that supporters of the ceasefire petition could request to suspend the rules at the council’s next meeting if they wished to speak on the issue.

As the conflict continues to divide communities, Worcester’s council remains in a contentious position regarding how much they can or should do to address international affairs.

For more updates on this developing story, stay tuned to What’s Up Worcester.

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