Pro-Palestine Protesters Rally At Newark City Hall, Call For Ceasefire

NEWARK, NJ — A rally condemning the Israel-Palestine war took place in Newark on Wednesday, with protesters marching to City Hall to demand that the city council pass a local resolution in support of a “ceasefire.”

A large crowd of people gathered on the steps of City Hall, holding signs that read “Stop the Genocide Now” and “Ceasefire Now – Stop War and Genocide in Gaza,” and chanting slogans such as “Cease Fire Now!”

Organizers included students and staff from Rutgers University, and representatives from the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ), American Muslims for Palestine (New Jersey), the People’s Organization for Progress (POP), the Newark Water Coalition, Black Alliance for Peace, Teaching While Muslim, Northern New Jersey Democratic Socialists of America, Ceasefire Now New Jersey, Healthcare Workers for Palestine – New Jersey, and Pax Christi New Jersey.

Other attendees included Larry Hamm of the POP, who is running for U.S. Senate in 2024. See Related: Hamm Ramps Up NJ Senate Campaign, Criticizes Debate Requirements

Newark City Council President LaMonica McIver told NJ Spotlight News that “the turmoil in Israel and Gaza is wrong.”

“In Newark, we stand with and pray for families on every side who have lost loved ones and are being traumatized daily by the horrific things the world is watching,” McIver said. “We plead with all who love peace and justice to oppose attacks on innocent people as a solution to solve conflict.”

Organizers are planning another ceasefire rally – this one also calling for an end to “U.S. support for genocide and bombing of Yemen, Iraq and Syria” – at 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 9 outside of the Newark office of U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, according to FightBackBetter.com.

• See Related: 'Free Palestine' Protesters Storm Sen. Cory Booker's Office In Newark

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