Hundreds of Jewish activists and their allies staged a large-scale demonstration at the Statue of Liberty on Monday afternoon, demanding that U.S. leaders pressure the Israeli government to agree to an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
According to Jewish Voice for Peace, an anti-Zionist group that organized the action, around 500 protesters took part in the demonstration. Activists dressed uniformly in black gathered on the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal shortly before 1 p.m., dropping enormous banners that read “The Whole World is Watching” and “Never Again for Anyone.”
The protest lasted around 20 minutes. Demonstrators continued chanting and demanding an Israeli ceasefire on the ferry back to the mainland.
“Our grief is being used to justify genocidal violence against the people of Gaza. It has to stop,” IfNotNow, a movement of American Jews organizing in solidarity with Palestine, said on social media. “10,000 dead. We NEED a #CeasefireNOW.”
“We came to the Statue of Liberty today because we are inspired by the words of our Jewish ancestor, Emma Lazarus, that are etched into the monument,” said Jay Saper, a JVP organizer. “Those words compel us to take action to support the Palestinians of Gaza yearning to be free. And we will continue to take action until we bring about a cease-fire and until Palestinians are free.”
“As long as the people of Gaza are screaming, we need to yell louder, no matter who attempts to silence us,” artist Nan Goldin, who took part in the demonstration, said in a press release from JVP.
“This is one of the greatest symbols of New York City and our supposed commitments to universal values of liberty and freedom and respite,” said New York Assembly member Zohran Mamdani, who took part in the protest. “And yet what we’ve seen is our country allowing for a genocide to take place.”
The Statue of Liberty demonstration is the latest high-profile protest led or co-led by JVP. In mid-October, the organization led demonstrations at the U.S. Capitol building grounds and at the White House, blocking entrances and disrupting business as usual at both locations to demand an Israeli ceasefire in Gaza. The group also recently shut down train stations in Philadelphia and New York City to demand an end to the genocide.
Earlier this month, a Jewish rabbi affiliated with the group interrupted a Biden campaign event, urging the president to pressure the Israeli government to end the genocidal campaign that has killed at least 10,000 Palestinians in Gaza so far.
“Mr. President, if you care about Jewish people then, as a Rabbi, I need you to call for a ceasefire now in Gaza,” Rabbi Jessica Rosenberg said at that event in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Help us Prepare for Trump’s Day One
Trump is busy getting ready for Day One of his presidency – but so is Truthout.
Trump has made it no secret that he is planning a demolition-style attack on both specific communities and democracy as a whole, beginning on his first day in office. With over 25 executive orders and directives queued up for January 20, he’s promised to “launch the largest deportation program in American history,” roll back anti-discrimination protections for transgender students, and implement a “drill, drill, drill” approach to ramp up oil and gas extraction.
Organizations like Truthout are also being threatened by legislation like HR 9495, the “nonprofit killer bill” that would allow the Treasury Secretary to declare any nonprofit a “terrorist-supporting organization” and strip its tax-exempt status without due process. Progressive media like Truthout that has courageously focused on reporting on Israel’s genocide in Gaza are in the bill’s crosshairs.
As journalists, we have a responsibility to look at hard realities and communicate them to you. We hope that you, like us, can use this information to prepare for what’s to come.
And if you feel uncertain about what to do in the face of a second Trump administration, we invite you to be an indispensable part of Truthout’s preparations.
In addition to covering the widespread onslaught of draconian policy, we’re shoring up our resources for what might come next for progressive media: bad-faith lawsuits from far-right ghouls, legislation that seeks to strip us of our ability to receive tax-deductible donations, and further throttling of our reach on social media platforms owned by Trump’s sycophants.
We’re preparing right now for Trump’s Day One: building a brave coalition of movement media; reaching out to the activists, academics, and thinkers we trust to shine a light on the inner workings of authoritarianism; and planning to use journalism as a tool to equip movements to protect the people, lands, and principles most vulnerable to Trump’s destruction.
We urgently need your help to prepare. As you know, our December fundraiser is our most important of the year and will determine the scale of work we’ll be able to do in 2025. We’ve set two goals: to raise $145,000 in one-time donations and to add 1489 new monthly donors by midnight on December 31.
Today, we’re asking all of our readers to start a monthly donation or make a one-time donation – as a commitment to stand with us on day one of Trump’s presidency, and every day after that, as we produce journalism that combats authoritarianism, censorship, injustice, and misinformation. You’re an essential part of our future – please join the movement by making a tax-deductible donation today.
If you have the means to make a substantial gift, please dig deep during this critical time!
With gratitude and resolve,
Maya, Negin, Saima, and Ziggy