Pro-Palestinian march in Boston blocks traffic, demands end to college cooperation with ADL
Over 100 pro-Palestine protesters, including students from Emerson College and Suffolk University, demonstrated in Boston to support Hamas in response to Israel’s actions in Gaza.
The protest blocked traffic and criticized the involvement of the Anti-Defamation League in local colleges.
Upwards of 100 pro-Palestine protesters held a demonstration on the streets of Boston to support Hamas’ defense against Israel’s counteroffensive in Gaza.
The demonstration was on Sept. 12, and took place on public property in Boston, according to WCVB5. The students started at Emerson College near Boston Common and marched to the Government Center in the downtown area.
The crowd was made up of students from Emerson College and Suffolk University, which is also located in Boston, according to The Berkeley Beacon. Individuals participating in the protest held Palestinian flags and wore keffiyehs.
The protesters reportedly blocked city traffic at various points, and at one point held up cars for around 15 minutes.
Part of the students’ justification for protesting was to critique cooperation between colleges and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Some protesters held signs stating “Zionism out of our education” and “Drop the ADL.”
“Just because there was summer break doesn’t mean we will come back lazy and slow,” one protester said.
“If the ADL is okay training police officers given what happened last semester,” another protester added, “why should we be okay with them being on our campus?”
The ADL, which was founded in 1913, has a mission to “stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all,” according to its website.
“Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact,” its web page continues.
In August, Emerson College, which has seen significant anti-Israel protesting since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack against the Jewish state, had to fire 10 employees due in part to the negative publicity caused by the demonstrations, which many perceive as anti-Semitic.
“College leadership has made the difficult decision to eliminate ten staff positions to help us realize our necessary cost savings,” the college announced in a campus-wide email. “We are grateful for the contributions these dedicated staff members have made to the College, and we have made arrangements to support them in this transition.”
Emerson President Jay M. Bernhardt wrote in June that the necessity to lay staff off had been caused in part by “negative press and social media generated from the demonstrations and arrests.”
Campus Reform has contacted Emerson College, Suffolk University, and the Anti-Defamation League for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
