Over two hundred multifaith activists shut down Worcester City Council on Tuesday, October 22 after the city administration pulled a pro-Ceasefire resolution in a discriminatory application of procedural rules. The City Council adjourned rather than hear the petition at the meeting for which it had been registered
Hundreds of Worcester residents refused to leave the city council chamber after a pro-ceasefire resolution which had been endorsed by 1500 residents was barred from the agenda.
The resolution had been ruled off the agenda by the council under its Rule 11 purportedly because it pertained to federal/foreign affairs, though in October of 2023, the Worcester City Council heard and passed a resolution condemning the taking of Israeli hostages on October 7th, 2023.. Activists filed the pro-Ceasefire resolution a week ahead of the deadline, only to be informed by the City Clerk that it would not be on the Tuesday agenda minutes before close of business on Friday. Despite the overwhelming support, the council moved to adjourn rather than hear the petition.
When the City Clerk at the meeting suggested that activists could petition for a rule-suspension in two weeks, activists demanded “Let them speak! Why not now?” Allie Cislo, a protest organizer and co-coordinator of the Worcester Havurah Jewish community, said: “We submitted our petition on-time and followed the appropriate procedures; we should have been heard on-time as is precedent. That supporters of Palestine require special dispensation to speak when pro-Israel advocates faced none of these hurdles last year is a perfect illustration of what our coalition is trying to change.”
The pro-Ceasefire resolution called for the return of all hostages, the resumption of delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza unhindered, and the enforcement of existing US law prohibiting sending US taxpayer funds to foreign miltaries involved in human rights violations. Over 1500 Worcester residents had signed a petition endorsing the resolution.
Sahar, a Worcester resident of Palestinian descent said of the meeting: “All I wanted was to speak for the thousands of Palestinian children who can’t be here, and to say that as a human every life is precious. It was heartening that so many neighbors came to support, but very disappointing that the city council continued the policy of rejecting our voices because we are Palestinians.”
Hind, a Worcester college student, added: “I want to remind the city council that it has historically always been illegal to aid and comfort oppressed groups worldwide. As policymakers, you now have the unique chance to legally aid and comfort a Palestinian in Netanyahu’s Israel, from the safety of Worcester City hall. What’s your excuse for not being human?”
On October 22, the Worcester Multi-faith Coalition for a Ceasefire Resolution held a rally in the corridor of City Hall with a truncated line up of speakers, a subset of the 25 who had been scheduled to speak for the resolution if it had been properly considered. Israel supporters showed up with flags, heckling, the vibe was chaotic but the scene non-violent.
During the hallway rally, we dramatically unfurled the signature pages – up to 1500 eligible Worcester voters had signed a petition in support of the ceasefire resolution. After the speakers concluded, we entered the City Chambers singing a song in Hebrew led by members of the Jewish Havura.
Using item 9m on the agenda, an item about the city clerk/solicitor, a young Palestinian American starts to tell her story and speak in favor of the resolution. The mayor calls out of order. Councilor Nguyen calls for a motion to suspend the rules and allow the petitioners to speak – a move that would NOT have required the councilors to vote on the resolution. 5 councilors vote to let us speak. 6 do not.
The crowd cries, “Shame!” and then it becomes a half hour of chanting, singing (We need to expand our repertoire of songs!). Four of the core organizers and Jen Burt sat on the chamber floor willing to risk arrest. After an adjournment, during which two councilors stayed in the room with us, the councilors return, One moved to conclude the evening. The Worcester City Council did no business as usual last night.
Claire Schaeffer-Duffy is convener of the Worcester Multi-faith Coalition for a Ceasefire Resolution, a worker at the Francis and Therese Catholic Worker center in Worcester, and a board member of Massachusetts Peace Action.