18 pro-Palestinian protesters arrested after blocking traffic outside Rep. Goldman’s Brooklyn office
Over a dozen pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested after blocking traffic outside Rep. Dan Goldman’s Brooklyn office Wednesday while demanding a cease-fire in Gaza — just one day after the congressman voted to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib over her use of what he called a “hurtful antisemitic trope.”
The large group — who cheered “let Gaza live” and “cease-fire now” — camped out in front of the Brooklyn and Manhattan Democrat’s 9th Street and 5th Avenue office in Park Slope just before 6:30 p.m., video of the rally shows.
The group initially protested on the sidewalk, but eventually congregated in the street, cutting off all vehicular traffic on 9th Avenue.
“We here demand that you change your side. We here demand that you come together with our power. Whose side are you on congressman?” one of the speakers, wielding a red bullhorn, shouted outside Goldman’s office.
Eighteen demonstrators were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, police sources said.
Goldman, a conservative Jewish politician who has fiercely defended Israel, was not present for the protest but said he appreciated the demonstration outside his office.
“As a staunch supporter of democracy, I eagerly listen to the voices of all of my constituents. I won’t agree with everyone on everything but I’m grateful for all who participate in our democracy,” he told The Post in an email.
The rally comes just hours after Goldman slammed his colleague Tlaib, alleging she “promoted misinformation that inflamed violence around the world, including against United States embassies” during the month-long war between Israel and Hamas.
He also criticized her for repeating the slogan “from the river to the sea” — a phrase referring to the extermination of the state of Israel and its Jewish residents.
He was one of 22 Democratic Congress across both parties to vote for the censure of Tlaib, the first Palestinian-American woman elected to Congress. Tlaib claims the slogan is “an aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence, not death, destruction, or hate.”
“Just like we cannot allow public officials to make racist statements against any group nor to incite violence through racist speech, we cannot allow elected officials to do the same against Jews,” said Goldman after the vote.
The resolution to censure Tlaib — a punishment one notch less severe than expulsion — cleared the House by a 234-188 vote.
