Newark Activists Will March For Gaza Ceasefire, Carl Dorsey

NEWARK, NJ — A group of activists in Newark plan to hold rallies to call for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and remember a man fatally shot by police on New Year’s Day in 2021.

The People’s Organization for Progress (POP) will host a march and rally “calling for a ceasefire of the military assault on Gaza” at noon on Saturday, Dec. 30. Participants will gather at the Lincoln Monument, 12 Springfield Avenue.

Organizers said the march will call for three things:

• “Stop the Genocide”
• “Demand A Permanent Ceasefire”
• “Allow Immediate Humanitarian Aid With No Restrictions into Gaza”

POP chair Lawrence Hamm, who is running for U.S. Senate in 2024, is among the supporters of this weekend’s rally.

Hamm said that in addition to the above causes, protesters are demanding that the United States end its financial support for the war that is taking place in Gaza and Israel.

Casualties and suffering have been heavy for Israelis and Palestinians alike as war rages in the Middle East. Read More: Israel-Hamas: How To Talk To Your Kids, Practice Self-Care

More than 1,200 Israelis were killed after Hamas launched a coordinated attack on Oct. 7, including civilians and children. Dozens of the deceased are U.S. residents, including some from New Jersey. It’s estimated that nearly 250 Israeli soldiers and civilians were also seized by Hamas and taken into Gaza as hostages – where many of them still remain.

• See Related: Bergen County 'Beautiful Boy' Killed In Israel Fighting, Family Says

Meanwhile, the latest death toll from Palestinian authorities stands at more than 20,000 people who have been killed in Gaza due to Israel's retaliatory air strikes and ground invasion –including thousands of children and civilians. Israel has cut off water and electricity in Gaza, raising an outcry from advocates and several humanitarian organizations.

• See Related: Israeli Forces Kill 10 Relatives Of NJ School Board Member

MARCH FOR CARL DORSEY

The POP will hold a separate rally on Monday, Jan. 1 in the memory of Carl Dorsey, who was shot dead by a Newark police detective on New Year’s Day in 2021. The rally will take place at noon on the steps of Newark City Hall at 920 Broad Street.

No criminal charges were filed against the officer who shot Dorsey, 39.

• See Related: No Criminal Charges For Newark Cop Who Shot Unarmed Man, Jury Rules
• See Related: NJ Family Files Lawsuit After Fatal Police Shooting In Newark

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