Tag: gaza

  • Hollywood Protesters Call for Cease-fire in Gaza

    Hollywood Protesters Call for Cease-fire in Gaza

    Image credit: Unsplash

    Hollywood protestors called for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war on the afternoon of Wednesday, November 15. Hundreds flooded the major intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue, forcing the Los Angeles Police Department to close the area to traffic.

    The Hollywood and Highland intersection is a major tourist attraction, as it contains the Dolby Theater and the TLC Chinese Theater, among other famous sites. Many demonstrators sat down in the street, effectively shutting the area down. The LAPD closed Hollywood Boulevard between Orange Drive and Las Palmas and Highland Avenue between Franklin Place and Sunset Boulevard. The disruption in the flow of traffic caused frustration for drivers, who were encouraged to seek alternate routes and avoid the area.

    “The LAPD’s objective is to ensure public safety for ALL while facilitating the First Amendment rights of those peacefully demonstrating,” the agency said in a statement. “Equally, the Department will enforce the law when individuals engage in acts of violence.” No arrests were made at the Wednesday protest, and no acts of violence were reported. Roads were cleared by 9 pm that night.

    The protest was organized by the groups Jewish Voice for Peace and IfNotNow, who released a joint statement ahead of the demonstration. The news release stated that the Hollywood and Highland protest would be “one of the largest-ever acts of civil disobedience in Los Angeles. It will take place in Hollywood, which has long been a site of organizing for labor rights, critiquing of state violence, and storytelling that speaks truth to power—of which Jewish creatives have often been part.”

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    The same groups have organized similar demonstrations across the country, particularly in Washington, D.C., to catch policymakers’ attention. Also on Wednesday, protestors gathered outside the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee, calling for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. U.S. Capitol police responded to the demonstration and claimed that the group of 150 was “illegally and violently protesting.” Several members of Congress were evacuated from the building as tensions escalated. 

    The Capitol police and protestors have put forth conflicting accounts of the protest. Demonstrators have claimed that the police rushed them without warning, already armed in riot gear, and began pushing and pulling people to the ground at random. Democratic Representative Brad Sherman of California took to Twitter to accuse protestors of “pepper spraying police officers and attempting to break into the building.” Those who attended the protest denied that was the case, saying that the objective was to position themselves near entrances and exits so that committee members would witness a peaceful, candlelight vigil. Footage has since been released showing police locked in an intense scuffle with protestors and attempting to control a chaotic scene.

    The conflict between Israel and Hamas has escalated in violence following the devastating attack on October 7 earlier this year. Hamas’ reprehensible actions toward innocent civilians in Israel shocked the world and invited many differing opinions about fraught relations between Israel and Palestine. The United States’ decision to support Israel continues to cause tension socially and politically across the nation.

  • SoCal Locals Flee the Conflict in Gaza, Return to Safety

    SoCal Locals Flee the Conflict in Gaza, Return to Safety

    Image credit: Unsplash

    After becoming stuck in the middle of the recent conflict in Gaza, two residents of Southern California were able to flee the area and are currently safe in neighboring countries. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass worked hard alongside many government officials to secure their safety.

    One of the fortunate individuals is a Los Angeles City employee who was visiting his elderly mother in northern Gaza as the unrest led to violence and war, finding himself in an impossible situation. Faced with the escalating conflict, he received orders to evacuate and subsequently journeyed south to Rafah, where he found himself stranded at the border.

    Mayor Karen Bass made it her mission to make sure the Los Angeles City employee was safe, exhibiting remarkable empathy and dedication. Throughout this terrifying ordeal, her office kept in constant contact with the employee’s son, providing updates on his condition. Mayor Bass announced that “it has been a source of tremendous turmoil and pain speaking with his son. I am relieved to announce today (Thursday) that the employee is now safe in a neighboring country, Egypt, and out of the war zone. We look forward to welcoming our colleague home.” She was clearly quite relieved to inform the public of the individual’s safety.

    The Mayor expressed her gratitude to everyone who worked tirelessly to make this rescue possible. She personally thanked Senior Advisor to the President, Tom Perez, the Biden administration, Sen. Alex Padilla, and Rep. Julia Brownley for their continuous support to ensure the safe return of a fellow Californian.

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    When the attacks started, the second resident, a mother originally from Camarillo, was visiting family in Gaza and was also witness to the mayhem and devastation. Nabil Alshurafa, her son, told of his mother’s difficult journey to safety. She bravely attempted five times to cross into Egypt, exhibiting incredible fortitude in the face of difficulty. Relief welled up in the family when, at last, the phone call arrived to tell them she had made it out alive.

    When reflecting on the emotional rollercoaster that the family endured, Alshurafa said, “She was crying when I spoke to her, and there was a sense of relief knowing she was able to escape. But at the same time, the excitement slowly went away when we started realizing that we still have a lot of family still in Gaza.”

    While these two California residents are now safely out of Gaza, there remains uncertainty surrounding their travel plans to return to their homes. To ensure their safe return to their families and loved ones, the community and officials are actively working to facilitate their journey back.

    The collaborative initiatives of Mayor Karen Bass, government representatives, and the tenacity of the families involved serve as a shining example of the devotion and commitment of people coming together to guarantee the security and welfare of those impacted by the turbulent events in Gaza. These inspiring tales serve as a reminder of the value of compassion and unity during difficult times as the world observes the region’s ongoing difficulties.