The Reason There Was Disruption Across The Country This Week And Why It'll Happen Again
NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. — This past Monday was a day many dread, including myself: Tax Day. But also for me, and many others, there was another reason why it was a day to look forward to: A mass mobilization of different pro-Palestine and anti-Israel groups across the country to cause chaos and disruptions in solidarity with Gaza, Yemen, and Iran.
The actions mainly consisted of using people and cars to block avenues of transportation, from New York City to Chicago to Seattle to the Bay Area.
There was coordination under the umbrella of A15. On their website, A15 proudly listed locations where local groups would be participating in their “economic blockade to free Palestine” and the pledge they all agreed to:
“If one city faces police repression, other cities will extend or expand their blockades or initiate other actions in response if able to the best of their abilities and capacity.”
“We will not attack each other or each other’s actions on social media or to the press. We will hold a post-action debrief so that we can raise principled critiques among ourselves in a constructive manner rather than publicly.”
“Every city will take responsibility for choosing and planning their own local actions. Fellow organizers will not discourage or denounce each others plans because solidarity means affinity, not ownership.”
“We will keep each other safe by not talking to the police, not coordinating with the police, and not talking to them about our actions or our fellow organizers.”
But more than just a pledge, there is some real money behind A15 as the group advertised a “United States A15 Bail & Legal Defense Fund” for protesters who end up being arrested for their actions.
The website goes on to provide legal support and encourages groups to get in contact with their local National Lawyers Guild (NLG). The NLG are not neutral observers and serve only to help protesters and rioters.
I decided to go to New York City for the day of action because the Big Apple has consistently been the site of big anti-Israel protests. The main group for those actions is called Within Our Lifetime (WOL), which has express intense hatred for Israel and the United States.