'Tactical gear' during Palestinian flag-raising at Palo Alto City Hall rattles local Jews

[Behind the Aegis]

The mayor of Palo Alto said the city is placing locks on the flagpoles outside city hall after pro-Palestinian protesters replaced three government flags with Palestinian flags over the weekend.

The Jewish Community Relations Council Bay Area called the gesture an “act of extreme disrespect” to the United States and to California. It was one of a few elements of the protest that raised concerns among Jewish groups.

The flag-raising came during a protest organized by Vigil 4 Gaza, an activist group that’s held weekly demonstrations since February in Palo Alto in support of the Palestinian cause, raising awareness about Palestinian victims of the Israel-Hamas war and challenging American support for Israel.

At prior events, demonstrators stood on a street corner near city hall, waving Palestinian flags and holding signs calling for a “Free Palestine” and cease-fire or accusing Israel of genocide. However, at least two of the demonstrators on Saturday went a step further and wore “tactical gear” and carried nonlethal weapons, worrying passersby.


A protester dressed in tactical gear at the March 30 protest. (Photo/Alan Crystal)

Photos show a protester, whose face is fully covered except for their eyes, wearing body armor and carrying a billy club, handcuffs, a flashlight and what looks like pepper spray in a front pocket. The person is wearing a kaffiyeh and a patch that says “zero tolerance.”

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[sarisataka]

1. Is this post infected?

Because it is being avoided like the plague.

"Zero Tolerance" is that the translation of Judenfrei?

[shrike3]

2. Oh, are they shooting themselves in the foot.

Tremendous sympathy for Palestinians among everyone I know. However, acts like this will try the patience of those same people.

[maxsolomon]

3. wonder if any reporter engaged him on his sartorial choices?

probably not.

[ismnotwasm]

4. This? This is why careless rhetoric is so dangerous

People don’t seem to understand how insidious and pervasive anti-semitism is—or worse, they understand, and don’t care.

The standard seems to be pointing out the suffering of the Palestinian people, with a subtle, or not so subtle implication that anti-semitism is justified.

The entire situation is terrifying. Anti-semitism is of the greatest horrors of the human condition. It’s so pervasive that people easily fall into it, repeating tropes and spreading misinformation with unconcern.

[EX500rider]

5. Sure sure I mean who doesn't wear all that to a peace protest LOL

[Mosby]

6. The new silver shirts and GA Bund.

Same tactics, same beliefs.