St. Paul City Council meeting shut down by protesters calling for Israel-Hamas cease-fire
ST. PAUL, Minn. — A St. Paul City Council meeting was interrupted Wednesday by a number of protesters who called for a cease-fire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Protesters representing the Free Palestine Coalition repeatedly came up to the microphone during public comment on a resolution pertaining to Como Zoo funding, only to switch topic to the war in Gaza, despite being warned by the council that they were outside the bounds of procedural rules.
"The Como Zoo, frequently, I find very depressing. It looks like a prison," one protester said at the mic. "But the place that I actually think is a prison is what's going on in Gaza."
Another speaker at the microphone argued to council members that the meeting's purpose, to address budgetary issues, meant that they should be heard on where their money should be going.
"It's a budget issue for the public, and I'm saying that the ... money for this city should be going to our people rather than bombing people in Gaza," that protester said. "And I hope that you will consider at least proposing this resolution. Even if you're going to vote no on it, propose it."
As those protesting the situation in Gaza and the city council went back and forth during comment, others in the room were heard yelling, "Shame on your privilege!" and "There is only one solution! Cease-fire resolution! St. Paul Council, you can't hide! Help us stop this genocide!"
Council members went into recess as the shouting continued.
As reported by the St. Paul Pioneer Press, St. Paul City Council President Mitra Jalali has indicated support for a cease-fire, and council member Nelsie Yang said she would support a resolution by the council.
Representatives with the Free Palestine Coalition say that they want to see St. Paul join the growing list of cities that have adopted cease-fire resolutions.
"We are tired of our council members stonewalling us about introducing and passing a cease-fire resolution for Gaza," said Kim DeFranco, St. Paul resident and member of Women Against Military Madness. "We have heard from many council members that they haven't heard from their constituents. That is simply not true, they are just not responding to us."
Minneapolis City Council earlier this year passed its own cease-fire resolution, though accomplishing that was not without a number of bumps along the way. The resolution passed by a veto-proof nine-vote majority. Mayor Jacob Frey vetoed it anyway, but the council overrode his veto. Frey responded by issuing a proclamation.
Frey, who is Jewish, said he supports a cease-fire, but called the city council's resolution "one-sided," arguing that it includes the "context and history" of Palestinian people, but not Israelis.
Other cities across the U.S. — including Detroit, Atlanta and Seattle — have passed similar resolutions calling for a cease-fire.
On the global stage, the U.S. on Tuesday vetoed an Arab-backed and widely supported U.N. resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in the embattled Gaza Strip, saying it would interfere with negotiations on a deal to free hostages abducted in Israel. It was the third U.S. veto of a Security Council resolution demanding a cease-fire in Gaza.