Palestine Waterfront March Planned For Hoboken In Wake Of Firebomb Arrest

HOBOKEN, NJ — A coalition of Palestinian solidarity groups will host a march and rally on the Hoboken waterfront this coming weekend, they said.

The groups cited the recent arrest of Alexander Heifler of Hoboken — as reported on Patch — who was accused of plotting to firebomb the New York home of a Palestinian activist. READ MORE: Hoboken Man Charged In Firebomb Plot, U.S. Attorney Says

Heifler was arrested by federal agents on the night of March 26 after he allegedly made eight Molotov cocktails inside his Hoboken home, with the help of an undercover police officer.

The next day, Mayor Emily Jabbour wrote, "Let me state unequivocally that I condemn all acts of hate, extremism, and violence in any form."

Hoboken's synagogue sent a letter to its members saying, in part, "The United Synagogue of Hoboken absolutely and unreservedly condemns and deplores political violence, threats of violence, and terrorism. It is the absolute antithesis of the values of coexistence and intergroup cooperation that we encourage in our synagogue community."

But a petition posted by Palestinian groups urges local leaders to say more.

"There are Palestinian individuals and families who live in this town and deserve to be assured of their safety, value, and dignity as Palestinians in the city they call home," says a letter posted with the petition.

The march organizers, including students from the Stevens Institute of Technology, wrote, "While assuring residents that there was no active threat to public safety, public officials and community leaders failed to address the impact of events on Palestinian locals and their allies and to specifically ensure the safety of Palestinian residents and activists."

The march will begin at 11:30 a.m. Sunday on Pier 13, on the upper waterfront, and head south along the river. Read more details about it here.