Jewish Voice for Peace RI leads anti-war protest outside Senator Reed's Providence offices

"...shame on you for writing about ending the violence while also giving the Israeli military carte blanche to commit atrocity after atrocity in Gaza and the West Bank."

“Thank you for coming out here bright and early today. I am proud to stand among all of you and to be picketing in front of the Federal Building,” said Jackie Goldman, addressing the more than 65 people who were protesting outside the downtown Providence offices of Senator Jack Reed (Democrat, Rhode Island) from 7-9 am Thursday. “We are here because while Gaza suffers under U.S.-funded bombings, Senator Reed is on break.

“While Palestinians are being murdered with our tax dollars, Senator Reed gets to sit comfortably in this building behind us and make choices that will shape U.S. policy. Let me be clear: Every moment that Senator Reed chooses to sit in this building and ignore this genocide, he is choosing to continue the mass murder of Palestinians.”

The protest was organized by Jewish Voice for Peace Rhode Island, which stated in its literature that, they were picketing Senator Reed to say, “…hands off Rafah, stop the genocide in Palestine, and stop arming Israel.”

“We have made our message loud and clear: Senator Jack Reed - you should be ashamed,” continued Goldman. “Shame on you for funding this genocide, shame on you for ignoring your constituents, shame on you, and your colleagues, for stopping every effort at peace and safety for Palestinians, and shame on you for writing about ending the violence while also giving the Israeli military carte blanche to commit atrocity after atrocity in Gaza and the West Bank.”

Minutes before the speakers were introduced around 45 of the picketers participated in a “die-in” lying down on the freezing sidewalks in front of the Federal Building to demonstrate some of the human costs of the war in Palestine.

“In Leviticus, we are taught: Do not profit by the blood of your fellow,” continued Goldman. “Senator Reed’s top contributor [in the years] 2017-2022 was Lockheed Martin - a weapons contractor that profits from the bloodshed of Palestinians. Of Senator Reed’s top five contributors from 2017-2022, all five are defense contractors. Is it any wonder that Reed supported sending $14.3 billion in military funding to Israel?”

“Shame!” said those in attendance.

During the picket, one of the chants was “Senator Reed is in lockstep with Lockheed.”

“Senator Reed, you are profiting from the blood of your fellows!” said Goldman. “And he is not the only one. At every turn, the Rhode Island delegation makes empty promises about wanting to curtail the deaths, the famine, and the crisis. They claim to be working out deals and taking action behind closed doors.

“Every day, while they wait and they sit in their comfortable offices, they choose to aid and abet a genocide.

“Your words are not enough! I want to see you take action. I want to see Senator Reed and the rest of the Rhode Island delegation grow a backbone. I want to see them stand up to the military contractors, stand up to Joe Biden and Anthony Blinken, and stand up against AIPAC and the murderous Zionist lobby - and do something moral for once.”

“Senator Reed and the entire Rhode Island delegation, I want you to hear me,” continued Goldman. “We, your continents, are watching you. We read every word you write, and listen to every speech or comment you make. We know that you are talking out of both sides of your mouth. We see you sit and line your pockets with the death of your fellows. And we will not let it continue.

“Senator Reed, if you continue to choose money over human life, if you continue to let smoke fall out of your mouth instead of the truth, if you continue to sit in this building and let it all happen, then one day you will wake up to find that you are no longer a Senator and your legacy will only be that of a murderer.

“Do the right thing, grow a spine, and end this bloodshed. Free Palestine.”

The event lasted two hours and was entirely peaceful. Over 65 people attended.

You can see the other speakers on video here, here, here, and here. You can watch all the speeches, the di-in and some of the picketing here: