Statewide protests calling for lasting cease fire in Gaza

BINGHAMTON, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – Protests were held around the state today outside of various federal offices to call for a lasting cease fire in Gaza.

Protestors gathered outside of the federal building in Downtown Binghamton to deliver a letter and a petition to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

The letter implores Schumer to call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and to stop sending the Israeli military more weapons.

The advocates wore death masks, and carried fake, shrouded children to symbolize the lives that have been lost.

Beth Harris is a representative with Ithaca Jewish Voice for Peace and says that over 4,000 of Schumer’s constituents signed the petition demanding a ceasefire.

Representative with Jewish Voice for Peace, Beth Harris says, “This is a genocide in the making. So, as Jews, we’re very sensitive to a genocide in the making while people watch. Especially when official members of the government are actually supporting the slaughter of civilians.”

Other demonstrations occurred across the state today, including in Rochester, Albany, Buffalo, Syracuse and New York City.
Protestors brought the letter inside the federal building to hand it over to Schumer’s office, but they say nobody besides a security guard was in the building.

Schumer delivered a speech to the Senate today focused on antisemitism.

He says Jewish people defend Israel not because they want to harm Palestinians, but because they don’t want a world in which Israel is forced to tolerate groups like Hamas that want to wipe all Jewish people off the planet.