More Than 100 Arrested in NYC as Workers Face ‘Blowback’ for Advocating Gaza Ceasefire

Protesters demanding U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand call for a ceasefire in Gaza block traffic outside her offices on Third Avenue. Photos by Joe Maniscalco

By Joe Maniscalco

Protesters demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza were still being handcuffed outside Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s Third Avenue offices in New York City on Friday night when Work-Bites talked to a 17-year nursing veteran about her feelings around the ongoing violence and the prohibitions against speaking out about it at work. 

“Many healthcare workers — doctors, nurses, paramedics — have been killed or injured because of the violence of Israeli forces,” the RN who declined to be identified said. “I stand against that, and I stand in solidarity with the men, women, and children of Palestine who want to be free.”

That view, however, isn’t one the bosses welcome, the nurse said.

“My employer has told us they will be watching us very closely and carefully about what we say and what we do,” she added. “We are feeling surveilled.”

Another health care professional — who also declined to be identified before becoming one of the more than 100 protesters who were arrested Oct. 20 after shutting down Third Avenue traffic between E.47th Street E. 48th for more than an hour — simply said she was taking action “because I have grandchildren.”

NYPD cops arrested more than 100 protesters on Friday night demanding a ceasefire in Gaza.

Friday’s DSA-organized march on Gillibrand’s offices demanding the senator call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza started at Bryant Park and attracted some 3,000 others in a downpour all demanding an end to the death and destruction.

“I call on all labor unions and people who are in favor of the end of colonialism to stand in solidarity with Palestine,” the veteran RN told Work-Bites.

Hundreds of other trade unionists convened virtually the evening prior for an emergency U.S. Labor for Palestine forum to discuss “really troubling examples across industries of folks dealing with the blowback of their support for Palestinians.”

Some of that blowback, trade unionists said includes, “rescinded job offers…calls from their employer to take down Slack messages, calls from their editors…gigs that they suddenly do not get — and in some cases — terminations.”

Hundreds of protesters demanding a ceasefire in Gaza march on Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s offices on Third Avenue.

ILWU Local 10 in Oakland, California has a long history of confronting apartheid both in South Africa and Israel. Union member Clarence Thomas said he understands people are “terribly, terribly intimidated for speaking out” — but that “we as workers have an obligation to stand up and speak up.”

“As an African-American, I can reflect on my own history in terms of enslavement in this country and Jim Crow — we know what apartheid is in this country — and we can no longer turn a blind eye,” Thomas said.

WGA member Ricardo Gamboa said Hollywood producers and studio heads have attempted to pressure his union to come out in favor of Israeli actions in Gaza — but that members are “fractured.” 

“They've kind of said they are going to remain neutral,” Gamboa said. “I think that's because the membership is fractured on this — there are so many writers that are afraid to speak out because of the power players that have come out so vocally [for Israel].”

Losing a job is one thing — but according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 22 journalists have been killed covering the war in Gaza — 18 Palestinians, 3 Israelis and 1 Lebanese. Eight other journalists have also been reported injured, and 3 others have been reported missing or detained.

The IWW Freelance Journalist Union has begun fundraising on behalf of the Palestinian Journalist Syndicate to protect workers with helmets, safety vests and gas masks.

Friday night’s mass arrests outside Sen. Gillibrand’s offices also included a few members of the New York City Council and New York State Assembly who were willing to stand up for a ceasefire in Gaza. 

Below: Protesters demanding a ceasefire in Gaza begin sit-in outside Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s Midtown offices.