Posted on 12/19/23
| News Source: WBAL TV
Baltimore, MD - Dec. 19, 2023 - Protesters demanded a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war Tuesday outside the office of a Maryland U.S. senator.
Nearly 200 people turned out at the intersection of Howard Street and North Avenue for the protest that included a long list of speakers and a call for an immediate ceasefire.
"(We're) organizing our community to end U.S. support for Israel's apartheid system and demand equality, justice and a thriving future for all Palestinians and Israelis," Matain Zeimer of IfNotNow Baltimore said.
"How can anyone have a ceasefire until all of these hostages are returned?" Councilman Isaac "Yitzy" Schleifer said. "You're either for terrorism or against it, and right now, there are terrorists holding men, women and children hostage, and I don't know how anybody's calling for anything other than for the release of all these hostages."
The event was capped off with a box of letters hand-delivered to the office of U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen.
The group included a rabbi and members of Jewish organizations, billed as "an unprecedented coalition."
Some Baltimore City leaders disagreed with the protest's message.
Protest organizers said the letter was also sent to Maryland U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger and Rep. John Sarbanes.
So far, Rep. Kweisi Mfume is the only Baltimore-area member of Congress to join calls for a ceasefire.