Standing strong for Palestine

Photo: Walter Blumenthal

In an ugly incident that briefly marred the day’s spirit of solidarity and joy, several young Israeli men attacked the Workers World Party contingent as it lined up and prepared to march in Manhattan’s LGBTQ Pride parade on June 26.

WWP’s lead banner read: “Stonewall Means Fight Back, From Wisconsin to NYC to Palestine.” Placard slogans included “LGBTQ Solidarity with Palestine” and “Stop Pinkwashing Israeli Apartheid.”

Both WWP and a gay Israeli group had been assigned gathering spots on the same block. There were several other groups and at least half the block and two floats between the two contingents. But suddenly four or five Israelis rushed into the WWP contingent, taunting, thrusting themselves and their signs in front of the Palestine solidarity messages, body-checking the WWP supporters in an apparent attempt to physically block them from hoisting their signs or marching.

They failed. Everyone in the WWP contingent raised the signs higher, chanted “Viva, viva Palestina,” and joined together to move forward, demanding the racists get out. In the course of the brief struggle, the Israeli belligerents knocked down a 68-year-old woman and knocked the glasses off another woman. Most of those in the front line pushing against the attack were Jewish.

After a few minutes, a half-dozen official parade marshals intervened, dragging the racist attackers away. Several marshals came back to say how appalled they were at what the Israelis had done and to thank WWP for the signs and for holding fast.

Then Workers World Party marched down Fifth Avenue, as it has every Pride Day since 1971.