Pro-Palestinian activists plan events ahead of Democratic National Convention
Ahead of next week's Democratic National Convention in Chicago, a pro-Palestinian activist group demanding an Israeli cease-fire in Gaza and a U.S. arms embargo, on Tuesday announced rallies in Michigan and around the U.S. and unveiled plans for speakers to describe the human toll of the conflict.
The Uncommitted National Movement, which grew out of efforts in southeastern Michigan's Arab American and Muslim communities to elect delegates to the convention who withheld their support of President Joe Biden in protest of his administration's support of Israel, said Tuesday it's organizing "Not Another Bomb" events in 25 states between Friday and Sunday. The convention begins at the United Center in Chicago on Monday.
In Michigan, events were scheduled for Friday evening in Grand Rapids, and on Sunday in East Lansing, Kalamazoo and Dearborn. For a full list of events and times, go to www.mobilize.us/nab/map/.
The Uncommitted National Movement also announced a series of news conferences in Chicago to take place each day of the convention, with progressive leaders and others making the case for a U.S. arms embargo. The group is not taking part in other large demonstrations protesting U.S. support for Israel and demanding action centered on Union Park in Chicago, in part, because some of the groups associated with those demonstrations are supporting third-party candidates.
Democratic delegates will formally nominate Vice President Kamala Harris as their presidential nominee during the convention and the 30 uncommitted delegates from Michigan, Minnesota, Hawaii and Washington, along with their allies, are pressing convention organizers to give them space at the event, if not main stage speakers to express their views. The New York Times reported Tuesday that convention organizers and others are trying to avoid any major disruptions during the event.
More than 100,000 Democratic voters cast their ballots for uncommitted in Michigan in the state's Feb. 27 primary, which was won by Biden. Biden stepped aside as nominee late last month, endorsing Harris.
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Harris, who has widely been seen as sympathetic to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and more forceful in her insistence that Israel should accept a cease-fire deal with Hamas and exchange prisoners, has rejected the notion of an arms embargo, according to advisers. And while she has continued to express that she wants the conflict to end, Harris last week at a rally at Detroit Metro Airport, stared down pro-Palestinian hecklers who initially refused to stop interrupting her with a chant, telling them, "If you want Donald Trump to win, then say that. Otherwise, I'm speaking."
The exchange was met with huge applause.
On Monday, Layla Elabed, the Dearborn woman who co-founded the Uncommitted Movement and who met briefly with Harris before the metro Detroit rally, told the Free Press she and others were demanding space for programming at the convention, with plans for candlelight vigils for those killed in the conflict over the last 10 months and testimonials from those who have been affected. She also said they were recruiting "cease-fire delegates," delegates who have endorsed and will vote for Harris, but "who can speak of the need for a policy change."
"We've been saying the Democratic Party is fractured right now," said Elabed, who also is the sister of U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, Congress' only Palestinian American member. "Harris has the opportunity in this moment to unite us."
Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@tsspangler.