A Tale of Two Cities: Newark and Hoboken
Though only a few miles away from one another Newark and Hoboken, NJ each have a unique set of circumstances for organizing Palestine solidarity. One city is a Black monument for international solidarity, freedom struggle, and rebellion, and the other is an oasis for quiet yet with a vocal little Zionist segment.
On Valentines Day, Hoboken stood up and demanded a ceasefire with 200 residents turning out to demand an end to the U.S. funded genocide on Gaza. Standing along the sidewalk of City Hall, we were met with a counter protest of 30-40 hunkering down in front of CVS, and with individuals flying Israeli flags at two other nearby intersections. We were surrounded. Later the counter-protest dwindled down to 20 or so but moved close to right across the street.
Photo: Bingjiefu He
With 10+ speakers for more than 2 hours Hoboken led chants, poems, and calls on President Biden to call for an immediate, permanent and durable ceasefire.
Meanwhile in Newark, on February 21st 50 or so took to the steps of City Hall to return for what was to be the unveiling of a ceasefire resolution. Earlier, on February 7th 150 or so students, faculty and workers of Newark marched from Rutgers to City Hall to demand a ceasefire resolution. It was clear momentum had not carried through.
Photo: @a1.photos on Instagram
On the 7th, Councilwoman Scott-Rountree, from the South Ward, gave a commitment to introduce a resolution at the next council meeting but even in her delivery of the promise it wasn’t very clear whether the councilwoman knew details about Israel’s siege on Gaza
Newark resolution calling for “right of the world’s people to peace” , February 21st 2024
Unlike Jersey City’s first in the state but failed resolution, and Union City’s and Prospect Parks’ passed resolutions, this resolution was a single sentence. Organizers didn’t know if this was full text released Friday afternoon, or a summary and that language only became available after the fact (as many towns do).
That Newark’s resolutions are more like shout outs. That only 25 people can speak in the public comment section, and that NPD kept out dozens of residents waiting to enter the building to await some semblance of justice, means Newark’s rebellion for Palestine has a long and deep treads to fill to push its democracy to the limit. Newark recently gave 16 and 17 year old’s the right to vote in local elections. Here is the meeting recording from Newark.
Meanwhile the same night a high-powered marathon of speakers moved Hoboken council, without any resolution on the agenda. The speakers were electric, diverse, and outnumbered speakers against a resolution 4:1.
How can such a small town pack a more powerful punch than the state’s largest city? Anything is possible when the working class is organizing.