Anti-Israel protesters chanted against US President Joe Biden, the United States and Israel at the Democrat’s star-studded fundraiser featuring former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall on Thursday.
“Down with the USA,” chanted protesters in a video taken by independent journalist Brendan Gutenschwager. “[Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu you will pay.”
“Down with the USA!” chants at today’s pro-Palestine protest in New York outside Biden’s fundraiser at Radio City Music Hall pic.twitter.com/I6u5XqAxLJ
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) March 28, 2024
In another video he posted, the massive crowd repeated that “Without US support, without Biden’s support, we would’ve stopped Israel a long time ago.”
Protesters attacked American support for Israel in the ongoing war against Hamas, in which they claimed that a genocide against Palestinians was unfolding. In videos posted by activist groups, they sang that “Israel bombs, USA pays.”
Demonstrators repeatedly referred to the incumbent presidential candidate as “Genocide Joe,” and called on others not to vote for him in the upcoming elections that he was fundraising for that night.
“Democrats, you can’t hide: We charge you with genocide!” protesters sang in a Within Our Lifetime (WOL) video. Many of the chants against Biden and the Democratic Party were led by the group’s leader Nerdeen Kiswani.
People’s Forum founder Manolo de los Santos said in a video published by his group on Thursday that they needed to call the former presidents that joined Biden for his Evening with the Presidents event “Genocide Obama,” and “Genocide Clinton.”
He said that they were architects of the same supposed atrocities as Biden.
Accused of sponsoring genocide
“We are here today because the politicians – who have been sponsoring genocide not just since October 7 but for decades – are here in New York City today,” said los Santos. He explained that the money fundraised at the event would be used to cement a system of violence against the people of the world.
Anti-imperialist rhetoric was repeated by protesters who, in two videos, one of them a Palestinian Youth Movement video called “Hands of the Middle East, from the belly of the beast,” tied Palestine to other conflicts, proclaiming “From Haiti to Palestine, occupation is a crime.”
“As New Yorkers, it is our responsibility to confront the greatest purveyor of violence in our lifetimes and the leader of this Empire, who is coming to our city,” WOL wrote Thursday on X. While they warned activists that police could set up obstacles, “The important thing is that we cover the area, besiege the besiegers, and do not let the enemies of humanity slip in or out unnoticed.”
While many of the protesters called Biden to push for an immediate ceasefire, they also urged violence against Israel.
“There is only one solution: intifada revolution,” demonstrators chanted. “When people are occupied, resistance is justified.”
The people’s forum called for a “liberated Palestine from the river to the sea!” on its video of activists disrupting the event within the hall.
“Shame on you Joe Biden!” an activist said, interrupting the president. Several protesters were removed from the venue.
“A continuous stream of disruptions from the orchestra through the mezzanine brought the event to a halt, making it nearly impossible for President Biden to speak during his much-heralded appearance,” Jewish Voice for Peace claimed on Friday.
Gutenschwager documented activists berating Biden supporters and donors leaving the hall once the event had finished, accusing them of supporting genocide.
WOL said that protests continued outside the intercontinental New York Barclay that Biden reportedly slept at that night, “to ensure that if we don’t get no justice then he won’t get no sleep! No rest for warmongers and genocide supporters! Genocide Joe has got to go!”
In addition to the former presidents, according to Reuters the event featured comedian Stephen Colbert, Queen Latifah, Lizzo, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo and Lea Michele.
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.