On July 24th, theater workers joined tens of thousands in Washington D.C. to protest Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to congress and issue a peoples arrest for his war crimes in Gaza.
Our contingent, comprised of both local and traveling theater workers, rearranged their schedules and took off work in the middle of the week because we understand that there is no glory in the freedom to make art in an unfree world; because we understand that the struggle for dignity in Palestine necessitates solidarity in the US; and because we refuse to stand idly by while the very officials elected to represent the will of the people continue to normalize and fund genocide and illegal occupation.
We took to the streets while politicians inside the capitol building gave Netanyahu a standing ovation. Inside, Netanyahu repeated his lies and propaganda, while outside peaceful demonstrators were pepper sprayed and brutalized. The difference could not be more stark.
Yet almost ten months into a genocide, these acts of repression only strengthen our resvolve. We understand the connection point between settler colonial militarism in Palestine and police in the US, be they the NYPD who were bused in to D.C. or the Illinois PD who shot Sonya Massey in her home after she called them for help.
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Free Palestine.
#ShutItDown4Palestine #ArrestNetanyahu
